


,' '■, :w 



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.THE STORY, 
^OFOPAL 

THE JOURNAL OF AN 

UNDERSTANDING 

HEART 



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COFi'RIGHT DEPOSm 



The Story of Opal 

The Journal of 
An Understanding Heart 




Plwlogyaph /ly Bai-hnirh 

OPAL WHITELEY RECONSTRUCTING HER DIARY 



The Story of Opal 

The Journal of 
An Understanding Heart 



'By Opal Whiteley 




ff^ith Illustrations 



The Atlantic Monthly Press 
Boston 



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Copyright, 1920, by The Atlantic Monthly Company 

Copyright, 1920, by The Atlantic Monthly Press 

All rights reserved 



©CI,A576528 
SEP 23 1920 



PREFACE 
I 

For those whom Nature loves, the Story of Opal is an open 
book. They need no introduction to the journal of this Under- 
standing Heart. But the world, which veils the spirit and 
callouses the instincts, makes curiosity for most people the 
criterion of interest. They demand facts and backgrounds, 
theories and explanations, and for them it seems worth while 
to set forth something of the child's story undisclosed by the 
diary, and to attempt to weave together some impressions of 
the author. 

Last September, late one afternoon. Opal Whiteley came 
into the Atlantic's office, with a book which she had had 
printed in Los Angeles. It was not a promising errand, though 
it had brought her all the way from the Western coast, hoping 
to have published in regular fashion this volume, half fact, 
half fancy, of The Fairyland Around Us, the fairyland of 
beasts and blossoms, butterflies and birds. The book was 
quaintly embellished with colored pictures, pasted in by hand, 
and bore a hundred marks of special loving care. Yet about 
it there seemed little at first sight to tempt a publisher. In- 
deed, she had offered her wares in vain to more than one pub- 
lishing house; and as her dollars were growing very few, the 
disappointment was severe. But about Opal Whiteley her- 
self there was something to attract the attention even of a 
man of business — something very young and eager and flut- 
tering, like a bird in a thicket. 
The talk went as follows : — 

" I am afraid we can't do anything with the book. But you 
must have had an interesting life. You have lived much in 
the woods ? " 



vi PREFACE 

"Yes, in lots of lumber-camps." 

"How many?" 

"Nineteen. At least, we moved nineteen times." 

It was hard not to be interested now. One close question 
followed another regarding the surroundings of her girlhood. 
The answers were so detailed, so sharply remembered, that 
the next question was natural. 

"If you remember like that, you must have kept a diary." 

Her eyes opened wide. " Yes, always. I do still." 

"Then it is not the book I want, but the diary." 

She caught her breath. "It's destroyed. It's all torn up." 
Tears were in her eyes. 

"You loved it.?" 

"Yes; I told it everything." 

"Then you kept the pieces." 

The guess was easy (what child whose doll is rent asunder 
throws away the sawdust?), but she looked amazed. 

"Yes, I have kept everything. The pieces are all stored in 
Los Angeles." 

We telegraphed for them, and they came, hundreds, thou- 
sands, one might almost say millions of them. Some few were 
large as a half-sheet of notepaper; more, scarce big enough 
to hold a letter of the alphabet. The paper was of all shades, 
sorts, and sizes: butchers' bags pressed and sliced in two, 
wrapping-paper, the backs of envelopes — anything and 
everything that could hold writing. The early years of the 
diary are printed in letters so close that, when the sheets are 
fitted, not another letter can be squeezed in. In later passages 
the characters are written with childish clumsiness, and later 
still one sees the gradually forming adult hand. 

The labor of piecing the diary together may fairly be 
described as enormous. For nine months almost continuously 
the diarist has labored, piecing it together sheet by sheet, 
each page a kind of picture-puzzle, lettered, for frugality (the 
store was precious), on both sides of the paper. 



PREFACE 



Vll 



The entire diary, of which this volume covers but the two 
opening years, must comprise a total of a quarter of a million 
words. Upwards of seventy thousand — all that is contained 
in this volume — can be ascribed with more than reasonable 
definiteness to the end of Opal's sixth and to her seventh year. 
During all these months Opal Whiteley has been a frequent 
visitor in the Atlantic's office. With friendliness came confi- 
dence, and little by little, very gradually, an incident here, 
another there, her story came to be told. She was at first 
eager only for the future and for the opportunity to write 
and teach children of the world which she loved best. But as 
the thread of the diary was unraveled, she felt a growing in- 
terest in what her past had been, and in what lay behind her 
earliest recollections and the opening chapters of her printed 
record. 

Her methods were nothing if not methodical. First, the 
framework of a sheet would be fitted and the outer edges 
squared. Here the adornment of borders in childish patterns, 
and the fortunate fact that the writer had employed a variety 
of colored crayons, using each color until it was exhausted, 
lent an unhoped-for aid. Then, odd sheets were fitted together; 
later, fragments of episodes. Whenever one was completed, it 
was typed by an assistant on a card, and in this way there 
came into being a card-system that would do credit to a scien- 
tific museum of modest proportions. Finally the cards were 
filed in sequence, the manuscript then typed off and printed 
just as at first written, with no change whatever other than 
omissions, the adoption of reasonable rules of capitalization 
(the manuscript for many years has nothing but capitals), 
and the addition of punctuation, of which the manuscript is 
entirely innocent. The spelling — with the exception of oc- 
casional characteristic examples of the diarist's Individual 
style — has, in the reader's interest, been widely amended. 



Vlll 



PREFACE 



II 



Opal Whiteley — so her story runs — was born about 
twenty-two years ago — where, we have no knowledge. Of 
her parents, whom she lost before her fifth year, she is sure of 
nothing except that they loved her, and that she loved them 
with a tenacity of affection as strong now as at the time of 
parting. To recall what manner of people they were, no 
physical proof remains except, perhaps, two precious little 
copybooks, which held their photographs and wherein her 
mother and father had set down things which they wished 
their little daughter to learn, both of the world about her and 
of that older world of legend and history, with which the 
diarist shows such capricious and entertaining familiarity. 
These books, for reasons beyond her knowledge, were taken 
away from Opal when she was about twelve years of age, and 
have never been returned, although there is ground for be- 
lieving that they are still in existence. 

Other curious clues to the identity of her father and mother 
come from the child's frequent use of French expressions, and 
sometimes of longer passages in French, and from her ready 
use of scientific terms. It Is, perhaps, a fair inference that her 
father was a naturalist by profession or native taste, and that 
either he or her mother was French by birth or by education. 

After her parents' death, there is an interlude in Opal's 
recollection which she does not understand, remembering 
only that for a brief season the sweet tradition of her mother's 
care was carried on by an older woman, possibly a governess, 
from whom, within a year, she was taken and, after recovering 
from a serious illness, given to the wife of an Oregon lumber- 
man, lately parted from her first child, — Opal Whiteley, — 
whose place and name, for reasons quite unknown, were given 
to the present Opal. * 

From some time in her sixth year to the present, her diary 
has continued without serious interruption; and from the 



PREFACE ix 

successive chapters we shall see that her life, apart from the 
gay tranquillity of her spirit, was not a happy one. Her 
friends were the animals and everything that flies or swims; 
her single confidant was her diary, to which she confided 
every trouble and every satisfaction. 

When Opal was over twelve years old, a foster-sister, in a 
tragic fit of childish temper, unearthed the hiding-place of 
the diary and tore it into a myriad of fragments. The work 
of years seemed destroyed, but Opal, who had treasured its 
understanding pages, picked up the pitiful scraps and stored 
them in a secret box. There they lay undisturbed for many 
years. 

Ill 

Such in briefest outline is the story Opal told; and month 
after month, while chapters of the diary were appearing in 
the Atlantic, snatches of the same history, together with 
descriptions of many unrecorded episodes, came in the editor's 
mail; and though the weaving is of very different texture, the 
pattern is unmistakably the pattern of the diary. Dates and 
names, peregrinations and marriages, births, deaths, and 
adventures less solemn and less apt to be accurately recol- 
lected, occurred just as the diary tells them. The existence 
of the diary itself was well remembered, though for many 
years Opal had never spoken of it; a friend recalled the 
calamitous day when the abundant chronicle of six years was 
destroyed; and a cloud of witnesses bore testimony to the 
multitudinous family of pets, and some even to the multi- 
colored names they bore. There were many letters besides, 
which came not to the Atlantic at all, but were part of Opal's 
own correspondence with people "of understanding," mem- 
bers by instinct of that free-masonry which, as she learned 
long ago, binds folk of answering hearts and minds. Many of 
these letters (which rest for safety in the Atlantic's treasury) 
are messages of thanks for copies of that first book of Opal's — 



X PREFACE 

engaging letters, very personal most of them, bearing sig- 
natures to delight the eyes of collectors of autographs: 
M. Clemenceau, M. Poincare, Lord Rayleigh, Lord Curzon, 
members of the French cabinet, scientists, men of letters, men 
of achievement. Opal has sought her friends all through the 
world; but her lantern is bright and she has found them. Her 
old Oregon teachers also have been quick to bear witness to 
her talents, and to recall the formal lessons which often she 
would not remember, and the other more necessary lessons 
which she could not forget. They would ask too whence came 
the French which they had never taught her. An attempt to 
answer that would take us far afield. All we need do here is to 
recall that first time, when Opal, full of puzzlement over letters 
that simply would not shape themselves into familiar phrases, 
turned to her editors and was told that they were French. 

"But they can't be French! I never studied French." 

But French they are, nevertheless. 

IV 

If the story of Opal were written by another hand than her 
own, the central theme of it would be faith. No matter how 
doubtful the enterprise, the issue she always holds as certain, 
simply because the world is good and God loves his children. 
Loving herself all created things, from her barrel-full of cater- 
pillars, whose evolution she would note and chronicle from 
day to day, to the dogs and horses, squirrels, raccoons, and 
bats which peopled the world she lived in, she would thank 
God daily for them, and very early in her life determined to 
devote the rest of it to spreading knowledge of them and of 
their kind far and wide among little children. 

To accomplish this, needed education, and an education 
she would have. Those about her showed no interest; but by 
picking berries, washing, and work of all rough sorts. Opal 
paid for the books which the high school required. But she 



PREFACE xi 

must do more than this. She must go to college. To the State 
University she went, counting it nothing that she should live 
in a room without furniture other than a two-dollar cot, and 
two coats for blankets. Family conditions, however, made 
college impossible for her. After the illness and death of Mrs. 
Whiteley, Opal borrowed a little money from friends in Cot- 
tage Grove, Oregon, and started alone for Los Angeles, deter- 
mined to seek her livelihood by giving nature lessons to classes 
of children. 

The privations and disappointments of the next two years 
would make an heroic tale; but she persevered, and her 
classes became successful. The next step was her nature book, 
for which, by personal canvass for subscriptions, she raised 
not less than the prodigious sum of $9400. But the printers 
with a girl for a client, demanded more and still more money, 
and when the final $600 necessary to make the booty mount 
to $ 10,000 was not forthcoming, with a brutality that would do 
credit to a Thenardier, first threatened, and then destroyed 
the plates. 

A struggle for mere existence followed, but gradually 
Opal triumphed, when she was overtaken by a serious illness 
and taken to the hospital. New and merciful friends, such 
as are always conjured up by such a life as Opal's, came to her 
assistance, and after her recovery she soon started eastward, 
to find a publisher for her ill-fated volume. The rest we know. 

Yet, after all, our theme should not be Opal, but Opal's 
book. She is the child of curious and interesting circum- 
stance, but of circumstance her journal is altogether inde- 
pendent. The authorship does not matter, nor the life from 
which it came. There the book is. Nothing else is like it, 
nor apt to be. If there is alchemy in Nature, it is in children's 
hearts the unspoiled treasure lies, and for that room of the 
treasure-house, the Story of Opal off'ers a tiny golden key. 

Ellery Sedgwick. 
The Atlantic Office, June, 1920. 



CONTENTS 

Characters in the Narrative xvii 

Introduction by the Author i 

Chapter I 

How Opal Goes along the Road beyond the Singing 
Creek, and of all she Sees in her New Home 5 

Chapter H 

How Lars Porsena of Clusium Got Opal into Trouble, 
and how Michael Angelo Sanzio Raphael and Sadie 
McKibben Gave her Great Comfort 9 

Chapter HI 

Of the Queer Feels that Came out of a Bottle of Cas- 
toria, and of the Happiness of Larry and Jean 14 

Chapter IV 

How Peter Paul Rubens Goes to School 21 

Chapter V 

How Opal Comforted Aphrodite, and how the Fairies 
Comforted Opal when there Was Much Sadness at 
School 25 

Chapter VI 

Opal Gives Wisdom to the Potatoes, Cleanliness to the 
Family Clothes, and a Delicate Dinner to Thomas 
Chatterton Jupiter Zeus 35 

Chapter VII 

The Adventure of the Tramper; and what Happens 
on Long and on Short Days 47 

Chapter VIII 

How Opal Takes a Walk in the Forest of Chantilly; 
she Visits Elsie and her Baby Boy, and Explains 
Many Things to the Girl th^t Has no Seeing 55 



xiv CONTENTS 

Chapter IX 

Of an Exploring Trip with Brave Horatius; and how 
Opal Kept Sadness away from her Animal Friends 69 

Chapter X 

How Brave Horatius is Lost and Found again, but 
Peter Paul Rubens is Lost Forever 75 

Chapter XI 

How Opal Took the Miller's Brand out of the Flour- 
Sack, and Got Many Sore Feels thereby; and how 
Sparks Come on Cold Nights; and how William 
Shakespeare Has Likings for Poems 81 

Chapter XII 

Of Elsie's Brand-New Baby, and all the Things that 
Go with it; and the Goodly Wisdom of the Angels, 
who Bring Folks Babies that Are like them 91 

Chapter XIII 

How Felix Mendelssohn and Lucian Horace Ovid 
Virgil Go for a Ride; William Shakespeare Suffers 
One Whipping and Opal Another 100 

Chapter XIV 

How Opal Feels Satisfaction Feels, and Takes a Ride 
on William Shakespeare; and all that Came of it . 104 

Chapter XV 

Of Jenny Strong's Visit, its Gladness and its Sadness 114 

Chapter XVI 

Of the Woods on a Lonesome Day, and the Friend- 
liness of the Wood-Folks on December Days when 
you Put your Ears Close and Listen 122 

Chapter XVII 

Of Works to be Done; and how it Was that a Glad 
Light Came into the Eyes of the Man who Wears 
Gray Neckties and Is Kind to Mice 1 27 



CONTENTS XV 

Chapter XVIII 

How Opal Pays One Visit to Elsie and Another to 
Dear Love, and Learns how to Mend her Clothes 
in a Quick Way 131 

Chapter XIX 

Of the Camp by the Mill by the Far Woods; of the 
Spanking that Came from the New Way of Mend- 
ing Clothes; and of the Long Sleep of William 
Shakespeare 138 

Chapter XX 

Of the Little Song-Notes that Dance about Babies; 
and of the Solemn Christening of Solomon Grundy 146 

Chapter XXI 

How Opal Names Names of the Lambs of Aidan of 
lona, and Seeks for the Soul of Peter Paul Rubens 158 

Chapter XXII 

How Solomon Grundy Falls Sick and Grows Well 
again; and Minerva's Chickens are Christened; 
and the Pensee Girl, with the Far-Away Look in 
her Eyes, Finds Thirty-and-Three Bunches of 
Flowers 1 65 

Chapter XXIII 

How Opal and Brave Horatius Go on Explores and 
Visit the Hospital. — How the Mamma Dyes 
Clothes and Opal Dyes Clementine 177 

Chapter XXIV 

How the Mamma's Wish Came True, and how Opal 
was Spanked for it; and of the Likes which Aphro- 
dite Had for a Clean Place to Live in 185 

Chapter XXV 

Of Many Washings and a Walk 193 



xvi CONTENTS 

Chapter XXVI 

Why it Was that the Girl who Has no Seeing Was 
not at Home when Opal Called 197 

Chapter XXVH 

Of a Cathedral Service in the Pig-Pen. — How the 
World Looks from a Man's Shoulder 204 

Chapter XXVHI 

How Opal Piped with Reeds, and what a Good Time 
Dear Love Gave Thomas Chatterton Jupiter Zeus 212 

Chapter XXIX 

How Opal Feels the Heat of the Sun, and Decorates a 
Goodly Number of the White Poker-Chips of the 
Chore Boy 218 

Chapter XXX 

How Opal and the Little Birds from the Great Tree 
Have a Happy Time at the House of Dear Love. . . . 226 

Chapter XXXI 

How Lola Wears her White Silk Dress at Last 23 1 

Chapter XXXII 

Of the Ways that Fairies Write, and the Proper Way 
to Drink in the Song of the Wood 234 

Chapter XXXIII 

Of the Death of Lars Porsena of Clusium, and of the 
Comfort that Sadie McKibben can Give 242 

Chapter XXXIV 
Of the Fall of the Great Tree, and the Funeral of 
Aristotle 249 

Chapter XXXV . 

How the Man of the Long Step that Whistles Most of 
the Time Takes an Interesting Walk 253 



CONTENTS xvii 

Chapter XXXVI 

Of Taking-Egg Day, and the Remarkable Things that 
Befell thereon 259 

Chapter XXXVII 

Of the Strange Adventure in the Woods on the Going- 
Away Day of Saint Louis 270 

Chapter XXXVIII 

How Opal Makes Prepares to Move. How she Col- 
lects all the Necessary Things, Bids Good-bye to 
Dear Love, and Learns that her Prayer has been 
Answered 271: 

Postscript 284 



LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 

Opal Whiteley Reconstructing her Diary Frontispiece 

The Author and the Fragments of Her Diary . . i 

A Specimen Page of Opal's Diary Written on a 
Paper Bag 13 

Lumber-Camp Folk 33 

At the Pasture-Bars 78 

"After we were across the riviere we went in a 
more slow way" 108 

"i wonder why it is the lumber-camp folk do cut 
off their overalls where they do meet the 

BOOTS " 140 

A Path to "Explores" in the Far Woods 187 



CHARACTERS IN THE NARRATIVE 

Agamemnon Menelaus Dindon, a pet turkey. 

Adamnan of Iona, a sheep. 

Alan of Bretagne, a fir tree. 

Aidan of Zona come from Lindisfarne, the shepherd. 

Alberic de Brian^on, a sheep. 

Alcuin, a sheep. 

Alfric of Canterbury, a sheep. 

Anacreon Herodotus, a lamb a little more little than the 

other little lamb. 
Andromeda, sister hen of Clementine. 
Anthonya Mundy, Solomon Grundy's little pig sister that has 

not got as much curl in her tail as has Solomon Grundy. 
Aphrodite, the mother-pig, 
Aristotle, a pet bat who died of eating too many mosquitoes. 

Bebe Blanche 1 ^ ,. ,, ^ u rrj j ttt 
r.- ' TT7 > two little trees by hdward 111. 

Bebe William J ^ 

Bede of Jarrow, a sheep. 

Ben Jonson, one of Minerva's baby chickens. 

Brave Horatius, the shepherd dog. 

Byron, a fir tree in the lane. 

Cassiopee, a neighbor's pig. 

Cardinal Richelieu, one of Minerva's baby chickens. 

Charlemagne, the most tall tree of all the trees growing 

in the lane. 
Clementine, a Plymouth Rock hen. 
Cynewulf, a sheep. 

Dallan Forgaill, a sheep. 

Dear Love and her Young Husband, neighbors and dear 
friends. 



xxii CHARACTERS 

Edmund Spenser, one of Minerva's baby chickens. 

Edward III, a fir tree near the singing creek where the wil- 
lows grow. 

Edward, Prince of Wales, a younger tree growing near 
unto Edward III. 

Edwin of Diera, a sheep. 

Elidor, a- sheep. 

Elizabeth Barrett Browning, a pet cow with poetry in 
her tracks. 

Elsie and her Young Husband, neighbors and interesting 
friends. 

Epicurus Pythagoras, a lamb. 

Etienne of Blois, a fir tree in the woods. 

Felix Mendelssohn, a very dear pet mouse. 

Felix of Croyland, a sheep. 

Francis Beaumont, one of Minerva's baby chickens. 

Geoffroi Chaucer, a little squirrel that was hurt by the 

black cat. 
GoDEFROi of Bouillon, a fir tree in the woods. 
Good King Edward I, a fir tree growing in the lane. 
Grandpere, Mrs. Whiteley's father. 
Guy de Cavaillon, a sheep. 
Gwian, a sheep. 

Homer Archimedes Chilon, a little Iamb more big than 

all the other lambs. 
Hugh Capet, a fir tree growing in the lane. 

Isaiah, a plain dog. 

Jean de la Fontaine', one of Minerva's baby chickens. 
Jean Moliere, one of Minerva's baby chickens. 
Jean Racine, one of Minerva's baby chickens. 



CHARACTERS xxili 

Jenny Strong, a visitor with an interesting bonnet. 

John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, a tree growing near 

unto Edward III. 
John Fletcher, one of Minerva's baby chickens. 

Keats, an oak tree in the lane. 

Lars Porsena of Clusium, a pet crow with a fondness for 

collecting things. 
Lionel, Duke of Clarence, a tree growing near unto 

Edward IIL 
Lola, a little girl in school, who had wants for a white silk 

dress. 
Louis II, le Grand Conde, a wood-mouse with likes to ride 

in the sleeve of my red dress. 
Louis VI, a grand fir tree in the woods. 
LuciAN Horace Ovid Virgil, a toad. 

"Mamma, The," Mrs. Whiteley. 

Marcus Aurelius, a lamb. 

Mathilde Plantagenet, the baby calf of the gentle Jersey 

cow, that came on the night of the coming of Elsie's baby. 
Menander Euripides Theocritus Thucydides, a most 

dear lamb that had needs to be mothered. 
Michael Angelo Sanzio Raphael, a grand fir tree with an 

understanding soul. 

Nannerl Mozart, a very shy mouse. 
Napoleon, the Rhode Island Red rooster. 
Nicholas Boileau, one of Minerva's baby chickens. 

Oliver Goldsmith, one of Minerva's baby chickens. 

Orderic, a sheep. 

"Papa, The," Mr. Whiteley. 

Peace, a mother hen that has got all her children grown up. 

Periander Pindar, a lamb. 



xxiv CHARACTERS 

Peter Paul Rubens, a very dear pet pig. 
Pius VII, one of Minerva's baby chickens. 
Plato 



■r> / twin bats 

Pliny 

Plutarch Demosthenes, a lamb. 

Queen Eleanor of Castile, a fir tree in the lane growing 

by Edward I. 
Queen Philippa of Hainault, a fir tree growing by 

Edward III, 

Raoul de Houdenc, a sheep. 

Raymond of Toulouse, a fir tree in the woods. 

Sadie McKibben, a comforter in time of trouble. 
Saint Louis, a fir tree growing in the lane. 
Samuel Taylor Coleridge, one of Minerva's baby chickens. 
Savonarola, a sorrel horse. 
Shelley, a fir tree growing in the lane. 
Sir Francis Bacon, one of Minerva's baby chickens. 
Sir Philip Sidney, one of Minerva's baby chickens. 
Sir Walter Raleigh, one of Minerva's baby chickens. 
Solomon Grundy, a very dear baby pig. 
Solon Thales, a lamb. 

Sophocles Diogenes, a lamb with a short tail and a ques- 
tion-look in his eyes. 

Theodore Roosevelt, a fir tree in the lane. 

Thomas Chatterton Jupiter Zeus, a most dear velvety 

wood-rat. 
TiBULLUS Theognis, a fuzzy lamb with very long legs. 

William Makepeace Thackeray, a little bird that was 
hurt. 

William Shakespear'e, an old gray horse with an under- 
standing soul. 

William Wordsworth, an oak tree in the lane. 



The Story of Opal 

The Journal of 
An Understanding Heart 



THE STORY OF OPAL 

INTRODUCTION BY THE AUTHOR 

Of the days before I was taken to the lumber 
camps there is Httle I remember. As piece by piece 
the journal comes together, some things come back. 
There are references here and there in the journal 
to things I saw or heard or learned in those days 
before I came to the lumber camps. 

There were walks in the fields and woods. When 
on these walks, Mother would tell me to listen to 
what the flowers and trees and birds were saying. 
We listened together. And on the way she told me 
poems and other lovely things, some of which she 
wrote in the two books and also in others which I 
had not with me in the lumber camps. On the 
walks, and after we came back, she had me to 
print what I had seen and what I had heard. After 
that she told me of different people and their won- 
derful work on earth. Then she would have me tell 
again to her what she had told me. After I came to 
the lumber camp, I told these things to the trees 
and the brooks and the flowers. 

There were five words my mother said to me 
over and over again, as she had me to print what I 
had seen and what I had heard. These words were: 



2 THE STORY OF OPAL 

What, Where, When, How, Why. They had a very 
great influence over all my observations and the 
recording of those observations during all the days 
of my childhood. And my Mother having put such 
strong emphasis on these five words accounts for 
much of the detailed descriptions that are through- 
out my diary. 

No children I knew. There were only Mother 
and the kind woman who taught me and looked 
after me and dressed me, and the young girl who 
fed me. And there was Father in those few days 
when he was home from the far lands. Those were 
wonderful days — his home-coming days. Then he 
would take me on his knee and ride me on his 
shoulder and tell me of the animals and birds of the 
far lands. And we went for many walks, and he 
would talk to me about the things along the way. 
It was then he taught me comparer. 

There was one day when I went with Mother in 
a boat. It was a little way on the sea. It was a 
happy day. Then something happened and we 
were all in the water. Afterward, when I called for 
Mother, they said the sea waves had taken her and 
she was gone to heaven. I remember the day be- 
cause I never saw my Mother again. 

The time was not long after that day with Mother 
in the boat, when one day the kind woman who 
taught me and took care of me did tell me gently 
that Father too had gone to heaven while he was 
away in the far lands. She said she was going to 



THE STORY OF OPAL 3 

take me to my grandmother and grandfather, the 
mother and father of my Father. 

We started. But I never got to see my dear 
grandmother and grandfather, whom I had never 
seen. Something happened on the way and I was 
all alone. And I did n't feel happy. There were 
strange people that I had never seen before, and I 
was afraid of them. They made me to keep very 
still, and we went for no walks In the field. But we 
traveled a long, long way. 

Then It was they put me with Mrs. Whiteley. 
The day they put me with her was a rainy day, and 
I thought she was a little afraid of them too. She 
took me on the train and in a stage-coach to the 
lumber camp. She called me Opal Whiteley, the 
same name as that of another little girl who was 
the same size as I was when her mother lost her. 
She took me Into the camp as her own child, and 
so called me as we lived In the different lumber 
camps and In the mill town. 

With me I took Into camp a small box. In a 
slide drawer In the bottom of this box were two 
books which my own Mother and Father, the 
Angel Father and Mother I always speak of In my 
diary, had written In. I do not think the people 
who put me with Mrs. Whiteley knew about the 
books in the lower part of the box, for they took 
everything out of the top part of the box and tossed 
It aside. I picked It up and kept it with me, and, 
being as I was more quiet with it in my arms, they 



4 THE STORY OF OPAL 

allowed me to keep It, thinking it was empty. 
These books I kept always with me, until one day 
I shall always remember, when I was about twelve 
years old, they were taken from the box I kept 
then hid in the woods. Day by day I spelled over 
and over the many words that were written In 
them. From them I selected names for my pets. 
And It was the many little things recorded there 
that helped me to remember what my Mother and 
Father had already told me of different great lives 
and their work; and these books with these records 
made me very eager to be learning more and more 
of what was recorded In them. These two books I 
studied much more than I did my books at school. 
Their Influence upon my life has been great. 



CHAPTER I 

How Opal Goes along the Road beyond the Singing Creek, and 
of all she Sees in her New Home. 

To-day the folks are gone away from the house 
we do live in. They are gone a little way away, to 
the ranch-house where the grandpa does live. I sit 
on our steps and I do print. I like it — this house 
we do live in being at the edge of the near woods. 
So many little people do live in the near woods. I 
do have conversations with them. I found the near 
woods first day I did go explores. That was the 
next day after we were come here. All the way 
from the other logging camp in the beautiful moun- 
tains we came in a wagon. Two horses were in front 
of us. They walked in front of us all the way. 
When first we were come, we did live with some 
other people in the ranch-house that was n't all 
builded yet. After that we lived in a tent, and often 
when it did rain many raindrops came right through 
the tent. They did fall in patters on the stove and 
on the floor and on the table. Too, they did make 
the quilts on the beds some damp — but that did 
n't matter much because they soon got dried hang- 
ing around the stove. 

By and by we were come from the tent to this 
lumber shanty. It has got a divide in it. One room 
we do have sleeps in. In the other room we do 



6 THE STORY OF OPAL 

have breakfast and supper. Back of the house are 
some nice wood-rats. The most lovely of them all 
is Thomas Chatterton Jupiter Zeus. By the wood- 
shed is a brook. It goes singing on. Its joy song 
does sing in my heart. Under the house live some 
mice. I give them bread-scraps to eat. Under the 
steps lives a toad. He and I — we are friends. I 
have named him. I call him Lucian Horace Ovid 
Virgil. 

Between the ranch-house and the house we live 
in is the singing creek where the willows grow. We 
have conversations. And there I do dabble my toes 
beside the willows. I feel the feels of gladness they 
do feel. And often it is I go from the willows to the 
meeting of the road. That is just in front of the 
ranch-house. There the road does have divides. It 
goes three ways. One way the road does go to the 
house of Sadie McKibben. It does n't stop when it 
gets to her house, but mostly I do. The road just 
goes on to the mill town a little way away. In its 
going it goes over a hill. Sometimes — the times 
Sadie McKibben is n't at home — I do go with 
Brave Horatius to the top of the hill. We look looks 
down upon the mill town. Then we do face about 
and come again home. Always we make stops at 
the house of Sadie McKibben. Her house — it is 
close to the mill by the far woods. That mill makes 
a lot of noise. It can do two things at once. It 
makes the noises and also It does saw the logs Into 
boards. About the mill do live some people, mostly 



THE STORY OF OPAL 7 

men-folks. There does live the good man that wears 
gray neckties and is kind to mice. 

Another way, the road does go the way I go 
when I go to the school-house where I go to school. 
When it is come there, it does go right on — on to 
the house of the girl who has no seeing. When it 
gets to her house, it does make a bend, and it does 
go its way to the blue hills. As it goes, its way is 
near unto the way of the riviere that sings as it 
comes from the blue hills. There are singing brooks 
that come going to the riviere. These brooks — 
they and I — we are friends. I call them Orne and 
Loing and Yonne and Rille and Essonne. 

Near unto the road, long ways between the 
brooks, are ranch-houses. I have not knowing of 
the people that do dwell in them. But I do know 
some of their cows and horses and pigs. They are 
friendly folk. Around the ranch-houses are fields. 
Woods used to grow where now grows grain. When 
the mowers cut down the grain, they also do cut 
down the cornflowers that grow in the fields. I 
follow along after and I do pick them up. Of some 
of them I make a guirlande. When the guirlande 
is made, I do put it around the neck of William 
Shakespeare. He does have appreciations. As we 
go walking down the lane, I do talk with him about 
the one he is named for. And he does have under- 
standing. He is such a beautiful gray horse, and 
his ways are ways of gentleness. Too, he does have 
likings like the likings I have for the hills that are 



8 THE STORY OF OPAL 

beyond the fields — for the hills where are trails 
and tall fir trees like the wonderful ones that do 
grow by the road. 

So go two of the roads. The other road does lead 
to the upper logging camps. It goes only a little 
way from the ranch-house and it comes to a riviere. 
Long time ago, this road did have a longing to go 
across the riviere. Some wise people did have un- 
derstandings and they did build it a bridge to go 
across on. It went across the bridge and it goes on 
and on between the hills — the hills where dwell 
the talking fir trees. By its side goes the railroad 
track. Its appears are not so nice as are the ap- 
pears of the road, and it has got only a squeaky 
voice. But this railroad track does have shining 
rails — they stretch away and away, like a silver 
ribbon that came from the moon in the night. I go 
a-walking on these rails. I get oif when I do hear 
the approaches of the dinky engine. On this track 
on every day, excepting Sunday, comes and goes 
the logging train. It goes to the camps and it does 
bring back cars of logs and cars of lumber. These it 
does take to the mill town. There engines more big 
do take the cars of lumber to towns more big. 

Thomas Chatterton Jupiter Zeus has been wait- 
ing in my sunbonnet a long time. He wants to go 
on explores. Too, Brave Horatius and Isaiah are 
having longings in their eyes. And I hear Peter 
Paul Rubens squealing in the pig-pen. Now I go. 
We go on explores. 



CHAPTER II 

How Lars Porsena of Clusium Got Opal into Trouble, and how 
Michael Angelo Sanzio Raphael and Sadie McKibhen Gave 
her Great Comfort. 

To-day was a warm, hot day. It was warm in the 
morning and hot at noon. Before noon and after 
noon and after that, I carried water to the hired 
men in the field in a jug. I got the water out of the 
pump to put into the jug. I had to put water in the 
pump before any would come out. The men were 
glad to have that water in the jug. 

While I was taking the water in the jug to the 
men in the field, from her sewing-basket Lars 
Porsena of Clusium took the mamma's thimble, 
and she did n't have it and she could n't find it. 
She sent me to watch out for it in the house and in 
the yard and everywhere. I know how Lars Por- 
sena of Clusium has a fondness for collecting things 
of bright colors, like unto my fondness for collecting 
rocks; so I ran to his hiding-place in the old oak 
tree. There I found the mamma's thimble; but 
she said the pet crow's having taken it was as 
though I had taken it, because he was my property; 
so I got a spanking with the hazel switches that 
grow near unto our back steps. Inside me I could 
n't help feeling she ought to have given me thanks 
for finding the thimble. 



lo THE STORY OF OPAL 

Afterwards I made little vases out of clay. I put 
them in the oven to bake. The mamma found my 
vases of clay. She threw them out the window. 
When I went to pick them up, they were broken. 
I felt sad inside. I went to talk things over with 
my chum, Michael Angelo Sanzio Raphael. He is 
that most tall fir tree that grows just back of the 
barn. I scooted up the barn door. From there 
I climbed onto the lower part of the barn roof. I 
walked up a ways. Up there I took a long look at 
the world about. One gets such a good wide view 
of the world from a barn roof. After, I looked looks 
in four straight ways and four corner ways. I said a 
little prayer. I always say a little prayer before I 
jump off the barn into the arms of Michael Angelo 
Sanzio Raphael, because that jump is quite a long 
jump, and if I did not land in the arms of Michael 
Angelo Sanzio Raphael, I might get my leg or neck 
broken. That would mean I'd have to keep still a 
long time. Now I think that would be the most 
awful thing that could happen, for I do so love to be 
active. So I always say a little prayer and do that 
jump in a careful way. To-day, when I did jump, I 
did land right proper in that fir tree. It is such a 
comfort to nestle up to Michael Angelo Sanzio 
Raphael when one is in trouble. He is such a grand 
tree. He has an understanding soul. 

After I talked* with him and listened unto his 
voice, I slipped down out of his arms. I intended 
to slip into the barn corral, but I slid off' the wrong 



THE STORY OF OPAL ii 

limb In the wrong way. I landed In the pig-pen 
on top of Aphrodite, the mother-pig. She gave a 
peculiar grunt. It was not like those grunts she 
gives when she Is comfortable. 

I felt I ought to do something to make up to her 
for having come Into her home out of the arms of 
Michael Angelo Sanzio Raphael Instead of calling 
on her In the proper way. I decided a good way to 
make it up to her would be to pull down the rail 
fence in that place where the pig-pen Is weak, and 
take her for a walk. I went to the wood-shed. 
I got a piece of clothes-line rope. While I was mak- 
ing a halter for the mother-pig, I took my Sunday- 
best hair-ribbon — the blue ribbon the Uncle 
Henry gave to me. I made a bow on that halter. 
I put the bow just over her ears. That gave her the 
proper look. When the mamma saw us go walking 
by, she took the bow from off the pig. She put that 
bow In the trunk; me she put under the bed. 

By-and-by — some time long It was — she took 
me from under the bed and gave me a spanking. 
She did not have time to give me a spanking when 
she put me under the bed. She left me there until 
she did have time. After she did It she sent me to 
the ranch-house to get milk for the baby. I walked 
slow through the oak grove, looking for caterpillars. 
I found nine. Then I went to the pig-pen. The 
chore boy was fixing back the rails I had pulled 
down. His temper was quite warm. He was saying 
prayer words in a very quick way. I went not near 



12 THE STORY OF OPAL 

unto him. I slipped around near Michael Angelo 
Sanzio Raphael. I peeked in between the fence- 
rails. Aphrodite was again in the pig-pen. She was 
snoozing, so I tiptoed over to the rain-barrel by the 
barn. I raised mosquitoes in the rain-barrel for my 
pet bats. Aristotle eats more mosquitoes than 
Plato and Pliny eat. 

On my way to the house I met Clementine, the 
Plymouth Rock hen, with her family. She only has 
twelve baby chickens now. The grandpa say the 
other one she did have died of new monia because 
I gave it too many baths for its health. When 
I came to the house one of the cats, a black one, 
was sitting on the doorstep. I have not friendly 
feelings for that big black cat. Day before the 
day that was yesterday I saw him kill the mother 
hummingbird. He knocked her with his paw when 
she came to the nasturtiums. I did n't even speak 
to him. 

Just as I was going to knock on the back door 
for the milk, I heard a voice 'on the front porch. It 
was the voice of a person who has an understanding 
soul. I hurried around to the front porch. There 
was Sadie McKibben with a basket on her arm. She 
beamed a smile at me. I went over and nestled up 
against her blue gingham apron with cross stitches 
on it. The freckles on Sadie McKibben's wrinkled 
face are as many ^s are the stars in the Milky Way, 
and she is awful old — going on forty. Her hands 
are all brown and cracked like the dried-up mud- 





i_M^ tff 7 H At c^^ Mi^^ X tVijc 





fT 



'jMri 



A SPECIMEN PAGE OF OPAL S DIARY WRITTEN ON 
A PAPER BAG 



THE STORY OF OPAL 13 

puddles by the roadside In July, and she has an 
understanding soul. She always has bandages 
ready in her pantry when some of my pets get hurt. 
There are cookies in her cookie-jar when I don't 
get home for meals, and she allows me to stake out 
earthworm claims in her back yard. 

She walked along beside me when I took the milk 
home. When she came near the lane, she took from 
her basket wrapping-papers and gave them to me 
to print upon. Then she kissed me good-bye upon 
the cheek and went her way to her home. I went 
my way to the house we live in. After the mamma 
had switched me for not getting back sooner with 
the milk, she told me to fix the milk for the baby. 
The baby's bottle used to be a brandy bottle, but it 
evoluted into a milk bottle when they put a nipple 
onto it. 

I sit here on the doorstep printing this on the 
wrapping-paper Sadie McKibben gave me. The 
baby is in bed asleep. The mamma and the rest of 
the folks is gone to the ranch-house. When they 
went away, she said for me to stay in the doorway 
to see that nothing comes to carry the baby away. 
By the step is Brave Horatius. At my feet is 
Thomas Chatterton Jupiter Zeus. I hear songs — 
lullaby songs of the trees. The back part of me 
feels a little bit sore, but I am happy listening to 
the twilight music of God's good world. I 'm real 
glad I'm alive. 



CHAPTER III 

Of the Queer Feels that Came out of a Bottle of Castoria, and 
of the Happiness of Larry and Jean. 

The colic had the baby to-day, and there was no 
Castoria for the pains; there was none because 
yesterday Pearl ^ and I climbed upon a chair and 
then upon the dresser and drank up the new bottle 
of Castoria; but the bottle had an ache in it and we 
swallowed the ache with the Castoria. That gave 
us queer feels. Pearl lay down on the bed. I did 
rub her head. But she said it was n't her head — it 
was her back that hurt. Then she said it was her 
leg that ached. The mamma came in the house 
then, and she did take Pearl in a quick way to the 
ranch-house. 

It was a good time for me to go away exploring, 
but I did n't feel like going on an exploration trip. 
I just sat on the doorstep. I did sit there and hold 
my chin in my hand. I did have no longings to 
print. I only did have longings not to have those 
queer feels. Brave Horatius came walking by. He 
did make a stop at the doorstep. He wagged his 
tail. That meant he wanted to go on an explora- 
tion trip. Lars Porsena of Clusium came from the 
oak tree. He did perch on the back of Brave 
Horatius. He gave two caws. That meant he 

1 A foster-sister. 



THE STORY OF OPAL 15 

wanted to go on an exploration trip. Thomas 
Chatterton Jupiter Zeus came from under the 
house. He just crawled into my lap. I gave him 
pats and he cuddled his nose up under my curls. 
Peter Paul Rubens did squeal out In the pig-pen. 
He squealed the squeals he does squeal when he 
wants to go on an exploration trip. 

Brave Horatius did wait and wait, but still those 
queer feels would n't go away. Pretty soon I got 
awful sick. By-and-by I did have better feels. And 
to-day my feels are all right and the mamma is gone 
a-visiting and I am going on an exploration trip. 
Brave Horatius and Lars Porsena of Clusium and 
Thomas Chatterton Jupiter Zeus and Peter Paul 
Rubens are waiting while I do print this. And now 
we are going the way that does lead to the blue hills. 

Sometimes I share my bread and jam with Yel- 
lowjackets, who have a home on the bush by the 
road, twenty trees and one distant from the gar- 
den. To-day I climbed upon the old rail fence close 
to their home with a piece and a half of bread and 
jam and the half piece for them and the piece for 
myself. But they all wanted to be served at once, 
so it became necessary to turn over all bread and 
jam on hand. I broke it into little pieces, and they 
had a royal feast there on the old fence-rail. I 
wanted my bread and jam; but then Yellowjackets 
are such interesting fairies, being among the world's 
first paper-makers; and baby Yellowjackets are 



i6 THE STORY OF OPAL 

such chubby youngsters. Thinking of these things 
makes it a joy to share one's bread and jam with 
these wasp fairies. 

When I was coming back from feeding them I 
heard a loud noise. That Rob Ryder was out there 
by the chute, shouting at God in a very quick way. 
He was begging God to dam that chute right there 
in our back yard. Why, if God answered his prayer, 
we would be in an awful fix. The house we live In 
would be under water, if God dammed the chute. 
Now I think anger had Rob Ryder or he would not 
pray kind God to be so unkind. 

When I came again to the house we live in, the 
mamma was cutting out biscuits with the baking- 
powder can. She put the pan of biscuits on the 
wood-box back of the stove. She put a most clean 
dish-towel over the biscuits, then she went to gather 
in clothes. I got a thimble from the machine 
drawer. I cut little round biscuits from the big 
biscuits. The mamma found me. She put the 
thimble back in the machine drawer. She put me 
under the bed. Here under the bed I now print. 

By-and-by, after a long time, the mamma called 
me to come out from under the bed. She told me 
to put on my coat and her big fascinator on my 
head. She fastened my coat with safety-pins, then 
she gave me a lard-pail with its lid on tight. She 
told me to go straight to the grandpa's house for 
the milk, and to come straight home again. I started 
to go straight for the milk. When I came near the 



THE STORY OF OPAL 17 

hospital, I went over to it to get the pet mouse, 
FeUx Mendelssohn. I though that a walk In the 
fresh air would be good for his health. I took one 
of the safety-pins out of my coat. I pinned up a 
corner of the fascinator. That made a warm place 
next to my curls for Felix Mendelssohn to ride In. 
I call this mouse Felix Mendelssohn because some- 
times he makes very sweet music. 

Then I crossed to the cornfield. A cornfield Is a 
very nice place, and some days we children make 
hair for our clothes-pin dolls from the silken tassels 
of the corn that grow In the grandpa's cornfield. 
Sometimes, which Is quite often, we break the 
cornstalks In getting the silk tassels. That makes 
bumps on the grandpa's temper. 

To-night I walked zigzag across the field to look 
for things. Into my apron pocket I put bits of 
little rocks. By a fallen cornstalk I met two of my 
mouse friends. I gave them nibbles of food from 
the other apron pocket. I went on and saw a fat 
old toad by a clod. Mice and toads do have such 
beautiful eyes. I saw two caterpillars on an ear of 
corn after I turned the tassels back. All along the 
way I kept hearing voices. Little leaves were 
whispering, "Come, petite Fran9oIse," over In the 
lane. I saw another mouse with beautiful eyes. 
Then I saw a man and woman coming across the 
field. The man was carrying a baby. 

Soon I met them. It was Larry and Jean and 
their little baby. They let me pat the baby's hand 



1 8 THE STORY OF OPAL 

and smooth back its hair, for I do so love babies. 
When I grow up I want twins and eight more 
children, and I want to write outdoor books for 
children everywhere. 

To-night, after Larry and Jean started on, I 
turned again to wave good-bye. I remembered the 
first time I saw Larry and Jean, and the bit of 
poetry he said to her. They were standing by an 
old stump in the lane where the leaves whispered. 
Jean was crying. He patted her on the shoulder 
and said: — 

"There, little girl, don't cry, 
I'll come back and marry you by-and-by." 

And he did. And the angels looking down from 
heaven saw their happiness and brought a baby 
real soon, when they had been married most five 
months; which was very nice, for a baby is such a 
comfort and twins are a multiplication table of 
blessings. And Felix Mendelssohn is yet so little a 
person, and the baby of Larry and Jean is growed 
more big. On the day I did hear him say to her 
that poetry — it was then I did find Felix Mendels- 
sohn there in the lane near to them. He was only a 
wee little mouse then. And every week that he did 
grow a more week old, I just put one more gray 
stone in the row of his growing. And there was 
nineteen more gray stones in the row when the An- 
gels did bring the dear baby to Larry and Jean than 
there was stones in the row when they was married. 
And now there are a goodly number more stones in 



THE STORY OF OPAL 19 

the row of Felix Mendelssohn's weeks of growing old. 
I have feels that there will be friendship between 
the dear mouse Felix Mendelssohn and the dear 
baby of Larry and Jean. For by the stump where 
he did say that poetry to her was the abiding place 
of Felix Mendelssohn when I did have finding of 
him. This eventime he did snuggle more close by 
my curls. I have so much likes for him. I did tell 
him that this night-time he is to have sleeps close 
by. When we were gone a little way, I did turn 
again to wave good-bye to the baby of Larry and 
Jean. 

After I waved good-bye to the dear baby, I 
thought I 'd go around by the lane where I first saw 
them and heard him say to her that poetry. It is 
such a lovely lane. I call it our lane. Of course, it 
does n't belong to Brave Horatius and Lars Por- 
sena of Clusium and Thomas Chatterton Jupiter 
Zeus and I and all the rest of us. It belongs to a 
big man that lives in a big house, but it is our lane 
more than it is his lane, because he does n't know 
the grass and flowers that grow there, and the birds 
that nest there, and the lizards that run along the 
fence, and the caterpillars and beetles that go 
walking along the roads made by the wagon wheels. 
And he does n't stop to talk to the trees that grow 
all along the lane. 

All those trees are my friends. I call them by 
names I have given to them. I call them Hugh 
Capet and Saint Louis and Good King Edward I; 



20 THE STORY OF OPAL 

and the tallest one of all is Charlemagne, and the 
one around where the little flowers talk most is 
William Wordsworth, and there are Byron and 
Keats and Shelley. When I go straight for the milk, 
I do so like to come around this way by the lane 
and talk to these tree friends. I stopped to-night 
to give to each a word of greeting. When I got to 
the end of the lane, I climbed the gate and thought 
I had better hurry straight on to get the milk. 

When I went by the barn, I saw a mouse run 
around the corner and a graceful bat came near 
unto the barn-door. I got the milk. It was near 
dark time, so I came again home by the lane and 
along the corduroy road. When I got most home, I 
happened to remember the mamma wanted the 
milk in a hurry, so I began to hurry. 

I don't think I '11 print more to-night. I printed 
this sitting on the wood-box, where the mamma put 
me after she spanked me after I got home with the 
milk. Now I think I shall go out the bedroom win- 
dow and talk to the stars. They always smile so 
friendly. This is a very wonderful world to live in. 



CHAPTER IV 

Hoiv Peter Paul Rubens Goes to School. 

In the morning of to-day, when I was come part 
way to school, when I was come to the ending of 
the lane, I met a glad surprise. There was my dear 
pet pig awaiting for me. I gave him three joy pats 
on the nose, and I did call him by name ten times. 
I was so glad to see him. Being as I got a late 
start to school, I did n't have enough time to go 
around by the pig-pen for our morning talk. And 
there he was awaiting for me, at the ending of the 
lane. And his name it is Peter Paul Rubens. His 
name is that because the first day I saw him was 
on the twenty-ninth of June. He was little then — 
a very plump young pig with a little red ribbon 
squeal and a wanting to go everywhere I did go. 
Sometimes he would squeal and I would n't go to 
find out what he wanted. Then one day, when his 
nose was sore, he did give such an odd pain squeal. 
Of course I run a quick run to help him. After 
that, when he had a chance he would come to the 
kitchen door and give that same squeal. That 
Peter Paul Rubens seemed to know that was the 
only one of all his squeals that would bring me at 
once to where he was. 

And this morning, when I did start on to school, 



22 THE STORY OF OPAL 

he gave that same squeal and came a-followlng 
after. When he was caught up with me he gave a 
grunt, and then he gave his Httle red ribbon squeal. 
A lump came up in my throat and I could n't tell 
him to turn around and go back to the pig-pen. 
So we just went along to school together. 

When we got there school was already took up. I 
went in first. The new teacher came back to tell 
me I was tardy again. She did look out the door. 
She saw my dear Peter Paul Rubens. She did ask 
me where that pig came from. I just started in to 
tell her all about him, from the day I first met him. 
She did look long looks at me. She did look those 
looks for a long time. I made pleats in my apron 
with my fingers. I made nine on one side and three 
on the other side. When I was through counting 
the pleats I did make in my apron, I did ask her 
what she was looking those long looks at me for. 
She said, "I'm screwtineyesing you." I never did 
hear that word before. It is a new word. It does 
have an interest sound. I think I will have uses for 
it. Now when I look long looks at a thing I will 
print I did screwtineyes it. 

After she did look more long looks at me, she 
went back to her desk by the blackboard. She did 
call the sixth grade fiziologie class. I went to my 
seat. I only sat half way in it. I so did so I would 
have seeing of my dear Peter Paul Rubens. He did 
wait at the steps. He looked long looks toward the 
door. It was n't long until he walked right in. I 



THE STORY OF OPAL 23 

felt such an amount of satisfaction having him at 
school. Teacher felt not so. Now I have wonders 
about things. I wonder why was it teacher did n't 
want Peter Paul Rubens coming to school. Why, 
he did make such a sweet picture as he did stand 
there in the doorway looking looks about. And the 
grunts he gave, they were such nice ones. He stood 
there saying: "I have come to your school. What 
class are you going to put me in.^"' He said in plain 
grunts the very same words I did say the first day 
I came to school. The children all turned around 
in their seats. I'm sure they were glad he was 
come to school — and him talking there in that dear 
way. But I guess our teacher does n't have under- 
standing of pig-talk. She just came at him in such 
a hurry with a stick of wood. And when I made 
interferes, she did send us both home in a quick 
way. 

We did have a most happy time coming home. 
We did go on an exploration trip. Before we were 
gone far, we did have hungry feels. I took the lid 
off the lard-bucket that my school lunch was in. 
I did make divides of all my bread and butter. 
Part I gave to Peter Paul Rubens and he did have 
appreciations. He did grunt grunts for some more. 
Pretty soon it was all gone. We did go on. We 
went on to the woods. I did dig up little plants 
with leaves that do stay green all winter. We saw 
many beautiful things. Most everything we did 
see I did explain about it to Peter Paul Rubens. I 



24 THE STORY OF OPAL 

told him why — all about why I was digging up so 
many of the little plants. I did want him to have 
understanding that I was going to plant them again. 
When I did have almost forty-five, and it was come 
near eventime, Brave Horatius and Lars Porsena 
of Clusium did come to meet us. When I did have 
forty-five plants, we all did go in the way that does 
lead to the cathedral, for this is the borning day of 
Girolamo Savonarola. And in the cathedral I did 
plant little plants as many years as he was old. 
Forty-five I did so plant. And we had prayers and 
came home. 



CHAPTER V 

How Opal Comforted Aphrodite, and how the Fairies Comforted 
Opal when there Was Much Sadness at School. 

Aphrodite has got a nice blue ribbon all her 
very own, to wear when we go walking down the 
lane and to services in the cathedral. The man that 
wears gray neckties and is kind to mice did give to 
Sadie McKibben the money to buy it last time she 
went to the mill town. That was on the afternoon of 
the day before yesterday. On yesterday, when I was 
coming my way home from school, I did meet with 
Sadie McKibben. It was nice to see her freckles 
and the smiles in her eyes. She did have me to shut 
my eyes, and she did lay in my hand the new blue 
ribbon for Aphrodite that the man that wears gray 
neckties and is kind to mice did have her to get. I 
felt glad feels all over. I gave her all our thanks. I 
did have knowing all my animal friends would be 
glad for the remembers of the needs of Aphrodite, 
for a blue ribbon. 

I did have beginnings of hurry feels to go to the 
pig-pen. I have thinks Sadie McKibben saw the 
hurrys in my eyes. She said she would like to go 
hurrys to the pig-pen too, but she was on her way 
to the house of Mrs. Limberger. She did kiss me 
good-bye — two on the cheeks and one on the nose. 



26 THE STORY OF OPAL 

I run a quick run to the pig-pen to show it to 
Aphrodite. I gave her Httle pats on the nose and 
long rubs on the ears, and I did tell her all about 
it. I did hold it close to her eyes so she could have 
well seeing of its beautiful blues like the blues of 
the sky. She did grunt thank grunts, and she had 
wants to go for a walk right away. I did make in- 
vest tag ashuns where there used to be a weak 
place in the pig-pen. It was not any more. I did 
look close looks at it. I made pulls, but nothing 
made little slips. Before it was not like that. 
I have thinks that chore boy is giving too much at 
ten chuns to the fence of this pig-pen that Aphro- 
dite has living in all of the time I am not taking her 
on walks. I did feel some sad feels when I could not 
take her walking down the lane with her nice new 
blue ribbon on. While I did feel the sad feels so, I 
did carry bracken ferns to make her a nice bed. 
It brought her feels of where we were going for 
walks where the bracken ferns grew. 

When I did have her a nice bed of bracken fern 
and some more all about her, I went goes to get the 
other folks. Back with me came Brave Horatius 
and Lars Porsena of Clusium and Thomas Chat- 
terton Jupiter Zeus and Lucian Horace Ovid Vir- 
gil and Felix Mendelssohn and Louis II, le Grand 
Conde. When we were all come, I did climb into 
the pig-pen and I did tie on Aphrodite's new ribbon 
so they all might have seeing of its blues like the 
sky. I sang a little thank song, and we had prayers, 



THE STORY OF OPAL 27 

and I gave Aphrodite little scratches on the back 
with a little stick, like she does so like to have me 
do. That was to make up for her not getting to go 
for a walk where the bracken ferns grow. 

Now teacher is looking very straight looks at 
me. She says, "Opal, put that away." I so do. 

To-day it is I do sit here at my desk while the 
children are out for play for recess-time. I sit here 
and I do print. I cannot have goings to talk with 
the trees that I do mostly have talks with at recess- 
time. I cannot have goings down to the riviere 
across the road, like I do so go sometimes at recess- 
time. I sit here in my seat. Teacher says I must 
stay in all this whole recess-time. 

It was after some of our reading lessons this 
morning — it was then teacher did ask questions of 
all the school. First she asked Jimmy eight things 
at once. She did ask him what is a horse and a 
donkey and a squirrel and a engine and a road and 
a snake and a store and a rat. And he did tell her 
all. He did tell her in his way. They she asked Big 
Jud some things, and he got up in a slow way and 
said, " I don't know," — like he most always does, 
— and he sat down. Then she asked Lola some 
things, and Lola did tell her all in one breath. And 
teacher marked her a good mark in the book and 
she gave Lola a smile. And Lola gave her nice red 
hair a smooth back and smiled a smile back at 
teacher. 



28 THE STORY OF OPAL 

Then It was teacher did call my name. I stood up 
real quick. I did have thinks it would be nice to get 
a smile from her like the smile she did smile upon 
Lola. And teacher did ask me eight things at once. 
She did ask me what is a pig and a mouse and a 
baby deer and a duck and a turkey and a fish and 
a colt and a blackbird. And I did say in a real 
quick way, "A pig is a cochon and a mouse is a mu- 
lot and a baby deer is a daine and a duck is a canard 
and a turkey is a dindon and a fish is a poisson 
and a colt is a poulain and a blackbird is a merle." 
And after each one I did say, teacher did shake her 
head and say, "It is not"; and I did say, "It is." 

When I was all through, she did say, "You have 
them all wrong. You have not told what they are. 
They are not what you said they are." And when 
she said that I did just say, "They are — they are 
— they are." 

Teacher said, "Opal, you sit down." I so did. 
But when I sat down I said, "A pig is a cochon — 
a mouse is a mulot — a baby deer is a daine — a 
duck is a canard — a turkey is a dindon — a fish is 
a poisson — a colt is a poulain — a blackbird is a 
merle." Teacher says, "Opal, for that you are 
going to stay in next recess and both recess-times 
to-morrow and the next day and the next day." 
Then she did look a look at all the school, and she 
did say as how my not getting to go out for recess- 
times would be an egg sam pull for all the other 
children in our school. 



THE STORY OF OPAL 29 

They are out at play. It Is a most long recess, but 
I do know a pig Is a cochon, and a mouse Is a mulot 
and a baby deer Is a daine and a duck Is a canard 
and a turkey is a dindon and a fish Is a polsson 
and a colt Is a poulain and a blackbird Is a merle. 
So I do know, for Angel Father always did call 
them so. He knows. He knows what things are. 
But no one hereabouts does call things by the 
names Angel Father did. Sometimes I do have 
thinks this world Is a different world to live In. I 
do have lonesome feels. 

This Is a most long recess. While here I do sit I 
do hear the talkings of the more big girls outside 
the window most near unto my desk. The children 
are playing Black Man and the ones more little are 
playing tag. I have thinks as how nice it would be 
to be having talks with Good King Edward I and 
lovely Queen Eleanor of Castile and Peter Paul 
Rubens and Brave Horatius and Lars Porsena of 
Clusium and Thomas Chatterton Jupiter Zeus and 
Aphrodite. And I do think this Is a most long 
recess. 

I still do have hearings of the talkings of the 
girls outside the windows. The more old girls are 
talking what they want. Martha says she wants a 
bow. I don't have seelngs why she wants another 
one. Both her braids were tied back this morning- 
time with a new bow, and Its color was the color 
of the blossoms of camarine. Lola says she wants 
a white silk dress. She says her life will be complete 



30 THE STORY OF OPAL 

when she does have on a white silk dress — a white 
silk dress with a little ruffle around the neck and 
one around each sleeve. She says she will be a 
great lady then; and she says all the children will 
gather around her and sing when she has her white 
silk dress on. And while they sing and while she 
does have her white silk dress on, she will stand up 
and stretch out her arms and bestow her blessing on 
all the people like the deacon does in the church at 
the mill town. 

Now teacher is come to the door. She does say, 
"Opal, you may eat your lunch — at your desk." 
I did have hungry feels and all this Is noon-time 
instead of short recess-time. It so has been a long 
recess-time. I did have thinks when came noon- 
time of all the things I would do down by the 
riviere. 

Now I do gather seeds along the road and in the 
field. I lay In rows side by side the seeds I gather. 
With them I do play comparer. I look near looks at 
them. I do so to see how they look not like one 
another. Some are big and some are not so. And 
some are more large than others are large. And 
some do have wrinkles on them. And some have 
little wings and some do have silken sails. Many 
so of all I did see on my way coming home from 
school on this eventlme, and too I did see four gray 
squirrels and two* chipmunks; and when I was come 
near the meeting of the roads I saw a tramper 



THE STORY OF OPAL 31 

coming down the railroad track where the dinky 
engine comes with cars of lumbers from the upper 
camps. 

This tramper — he did have a big roll on his 
back and he walked steps on the ties in a slow tired 
way. When I was come more near to the track, I 
did have thinks he might have hungry feels. Most 
trampers do. While I was having thinks about it, 
I took the lid off my dinner-pail. There was just a 
half a piece of bread and butter left. I was saving 
that. I was saving it to make divides between 
Peter Paul Rubens and Aphrodite and Felix Men- 
delssohn and Louis II, le Grand Conde, and the 
rest of us. I did look looks from that piece of bread 
and butter in the dinner-pail to the tramper going 
down the railroad track. I did have little feels of 
the big hungry feels he might be having. I ran a 
quick run to catch up with him. 

He was glad for it. He ate it in two bites, and I 
came a quick way to our lane. I went along it. I 
made a stop by a hazel bush. I did stop to watch a 
caterpillar making his cradle. He did not move 
about while he did make it. He did roll himself up 
in a leaf. That almost hid him. He did weave white 
silk about him. I think it must be an interesting 
life to live a caterpillar life. Some days I do think I 
would like to be a caterpillar and by-and-by make 
a silk cradle. The silk a caterpillar makes its cradle 
from does come from its mouth. I have seen it so. 
But not so have I seen come the silk the spider does 



32 THE STORY OF OPAL 

make its web of. This silk does come from the back 
part of the back of the spider. 

When I was come to the house we Hve in, I did 
do the works the mamma did have for me to do. 
Then I made begins to fill the wood-box. When I 
did have ten sticks piled on its top, I looked to the 
door where the mamma was talking with Elsie. I 
did have sorry feels for the mamma. I heard her 
say she lost ten minutes. I did have wants to help 
her find them. I looked looks under the cupboard, 
and they were not there. I looked looks in the 
cook-table drawers, and they were not there. I 
looked looks into every machine-that-sews drawer, 
and I did n't find them. I crawled under the bed, 
but I had no seeing of them. Then I did look looks 
in all the corners of the house that we do live in. 
I looked looks all about. But I did n't find them. 
I have wonders where those ten minutes the 
mamma lost are gone. While I did look more 
looks about for them, she did say for me to get out 
of her way. I so did. 

I went to look for the fairies. I went to the near 
woods. I hid behind the trees and made little runs 
to big logs. I walked along the logs and I went 
among the ferns. I did tiptoe among the ferns. I 
looked looks about. I did touch fern-fronds and I 
did have feels of their gentle movements. I came 
to a big root. I hid in it. I so did to wait waits for 
the fairies that come among the big trees. 

While I did wait waits, I did have thinks about 



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THE STORY OF OPAL 33 

that letter I did write on the other day for more 
color pencils that I do have needs of to print with. 
I thought I would go to the moss-box by the old 
log. I thought I would have goes there to see if the 
faires yet did find my letter. I went. The letter — 
it was gone. Then I did have joy feels all over. 
The color pencils — they were come. There was a 
blue one and a green one and a yellow one. And 
there was a purple one and a brown one and a red 
one. I did look looks at them a long time. It was so 
nice, the quick way the fairies did bring them. 

While I was looking more looks at them, some 
one did come near the old root. It was my dear 
friend Peter Paul Rubens. I gave him four pats 
and I showed him all the color pencils. Then I did 
make a start to go to the mill by the far woods. 
Peter Paul Rubens went with me and Brave 
Horatius came a-following after. All the way along 
I did feel glad feels, and I had thinks how happy 
the man that wears gray neckties and is kind to 
mice would be when he did see how quick the fairies 
did answer my letter and bring the color pencils. 

When we were come near the mill by the far 
woods, it was near gray-light-time. The lumber 
men were on their home way. They did whistle as 
they did go. Two went side by side, and three came 
after. And one came after all. It was the man that 
wears gray neckties and is kind to mice. Brave 
Horatius made a quick run to meet him, and I did 
follow after. I did have him guess what it was the 



34 THE STORY OF OPAL 

fairies did bring this time. He guessed a sugar- 
lump for William Shakespeare every day next week. 
I told him it was n't a right guess. He guessed 
some more. But he could n't gu^ss right, so I 
showed them all to him. 

He was so surprised. He said he was so surprised 
the fairies did bring them this soon. And he was so 
glad about it. He always is. He and I — we do have 
knows the fairies walk often in these woods, and 
when I do have needs of more color pencils to make 
more prints with, I do write the fairies about it. I 
write to them a little letter on leaves of trees and I 
do put it in the moss-box at the end of the old log. 
Then, after they do come walking in the woods and 
find the letter in the moss-box, they do bring the 
color pencils, and they lay them in the moss-box. 
I find them there and I am happy. 

No one does have knowing of that moss-box but 
one. He is the man that wears gray neckties and is 
kind to mice. He has knowings of the letters I do 
print on leaves and put there for the fairies. And 
after he does ask me, and after I do tell him I have 
wrote to them for color pencils that I have needs 
of — he does take a little fern plant and make a 
fern wish with it that the fairies will bring to me 
the color pencils I have needs of. Then we do plant 
the little fern by the old log. And the time is not 
long until I do find the color pencils in the moss- 
box by the old log. I am very happy. 



CHAPTER VI 

Opal Gives Wisdom to the Potatoes, Cleanliness to the Family 
Clothes, and a Delicate Dinner to Thomas Chatterton Jupiter 
Zeus. 

To-day the grandpa dug potatoes In the field. 
Too, the chore boy did dig potatoes in the field. 
I followed along after. My work was to pick up the 
potatoes they got out of the ground. I picked them 
up and piled them in piles. Some of them were very 
plump. Some of them were not big. All of them 
wore brown dresses. When they were in piles, I did 
stop to take looks at them. I walked up close. I 
looked them all over. I walked oif and took a long 
look at them. Potatoes are very interesting folks. 
I think they must see a lot of what is going on in 
the earth; they have so many eyes. And after I did 
look those looks as I did go along, I did count the 
eyes that every potato did have, and their num- 
bers were in blessings. 

To some piles I did stop to give geology lectures, 
and some I did tell about the nursery and the cater- 
pillars in it — the caterpillars that are going to 
hiver sleep in silken cradles, and some In woolen so 
go. To more potatoes I did tell about my hospital 
at St.-Germain-en-Laye In the near woods, and 
all about the folks that were in It and that are In It, 



36 THE STORY OF OPAL 

and how much prayers and songs and mentholatum 
helps them to have well feels. 

And to some other potatoes I did talk about 
my friends — about the talks that William Shake- 
speare and I do have together; and about how Lars 
Porsena of Clusium does have a fondness for col- 
lecting things, and how he does hide them in the 
oak tree near unto the house we live in; and about 
Elizabeth Barrett Browning and the poetry in her 
tracks. And one I did tell about the new ribbon 
Aphrodite has to wear, and how she does have a 
fondness for chocolate creams. To the potato most 
near unto it I did tell of the little bell that Peter 
Paul Rubens does wear to cathedral service. To 
the one next to it I did tell how Louis II, le Grand 
Conde, is a mouse of gentle ways, and how he does 
have likings to ride in my sleeve. 

And all the times I was picking up potatoes I did 
have conversations with them. Too, I did have 
thinks of all their growing days there in the ground, 
and all the things they did hear. Earth-voices are 
glad voices, and earth-songs come up from the 
ground through the plants; and in their flowering 
and in the days before these days are come, they do 
tell the earth-songs to the wind. And the wind in 
her goings does whisper them to folks to print for 
other folks. So other folks do have knowing of 
earth's songs. When I grow up I am going to write 
for children — and grown-ups that have n't grown 
up too much — all the earth-songs I now do hear. 



THE STORY OF OPAL 37 

I have thinks these potatoes growing here did 
have knowings of star-songs. I have kept watch in 
the field at night and I have seen the stars look 
kindness down upon them. And I have walked be- 
tween the rows of potatoes, and I have watched the 
star-gleams on their leaves. And I have heard the 
wind ask of them the star-songs the star-gleams 
did tell in shadows on their leaves. And as the 
wind did go walking in the field talking to the 
earth-voices there, I did follow her down the rows. 
I did have feels of her presence near. And her 
goings by made ripples on my nightgown. Thomas 
Chatterton Jupiter Zeus did cuddle more close up 
in my arms. And Brave Horatius followed after. 

Sometimes, when a time long it is I have been 
walking and listening to the voices of the night, 
then it is Brave Horatius does catch the corner of 
my nightgown in his mouth and he pulls — he pulls 
most hard in the way that does go to the house we 
live in. After he does pull, he barks the barks he 
always does bark when he has thinks it is home- 
going time. I listen. Sometimes I go back. He 
goes with me. Sometimes I go on. He goes with 
me. And often it is he is here come with me to this 
field where the potatoes grow. And he knows most 
all the poetry I have told them. 

On the afternoon of to-day, when I did have a 
goodly number of potatoes in piles, I did have 
thinks as how this was the going-away day of Saint 
Fran9ois of Assisi and the horning day of Jean 



38 THE STORY OF OPAL 

Francois Millet; so I did take as many potatoes 
as they years did dwell upon earth. Forty-four 
potatoes I so took for Saint Frangois of Assisi, for 
his years were near unto forty-four. Sixty potatoes 
I so took for Jean Francois Millet, for his years 
were sixty years. All these potatoes I did lay in 
two rows. In one row was forty-four and in the 
other row was sixty. 

And as I had seeing of them all there, I did have 
thinks to have a choir. First I did sing, "Sanctus, 
sanctus, sanctus, Dominus Deus." After I did sing 
it three times, I did have thinks as how it would be 
nice to have more in the choir. And I did have 
remembers as how to-morrow is the going-away 
day of Philippe III, roi de France; and so for the 
forty years that were his years I did bring forty 
more potatoes in a row. That made more in the 
choir. Then I did sing three times over, "Gloria 
Patri, ct Filio, et Spiritu Sancto. Hosanna in 
excelsis." Before I did get all through the last time 
with Hosanna in excelsis, I did have thinks as how 
the next day after that day would be the horning 
day of Louis Philippe, roi de France, and the going- 
away day of Alfred Tennyson. And I did bring 
more potatoes for the choir. Seventy-six I did so 
bring for the years that were the years of Louis 
Philippe, roi de France. Eighty-three I so did 
bring for the years that were the years of Alfred 
Tennyson. And the choir — there was a goodly 
number of folks in it — all potato folks wearing 
brown robes. Then I did sing one "Ave Maria." 



THE STORY OF OPAL 39 

I was going to sing one more, when I did have 
thinks as how the next day after the next day after 
the next day would be the going-away day of Sir 
Phihp Sidney; so I did bring thirty-one more pota- 
toes for the choir. It did take a more long time to 
bring them, because all the potatoes near about 
were already in the choir. Brave Horatius did 
walk by my side, and he did have seeing as how I 
was bringing potatoes to the choir. And so he did 
bring some — one at a time he did pick them up 
and bring them, just like he does pick up a stick of 
wood in his mouth when I am carrying in wood. 
He is a most helpful dog. To-day I did have needs 
to keep watches. I did so have needs to see that 
he put not more potatoes in the other choir-rows. 
First time he did bring a potato, he did lay it down 
by the choir-row of Alfred Tennyson. Next potato 
he did bring he did lay it by the choir-row of Jean 
Francois Millet. Next time I made a quick run 
when I did have seeing of him going to lay it down 
by the choir-row of Philippe HI, roi de France. I 
did pat my foot and tell him where to lay it for the 
choir-row of Sir Philip Sidney. He so did. We did 
go for more. 

When there were thirty-one potatoes in the 
choir-row of Sir Philip Sidney, we did start service 
again. I did begin with "Sanctus, sanctus, sanctus, 
Dominus Deus." And Brave Horatius did bark 
Amen. Then I did begin all over, and he did so 
again. After we had prayers, I did sing one more 



40 THE STORY OF OPAL 

"Ave Maria." Then I did begin to sing "Deo 
Gratias, Hosanna in excelsis," but I came not 
unto its ending. Brave Horatius did bark Amen 
before I was half done. I just went on. He walked 
in front of me and did bark Amen three times. 

I was just going to sing the all of it. I did not so. 
I so did not because the chore boy did have steps 
behind me. He gave me three shoulder-shakes, 
and he did tell me to get a hurry on me and get 
those potatoes picked up. I so did. I so did in a 
most quick way. The time it did take to pick them 
up — it was not a long time. And after that there 
was more potatoes to pick up. Brave Horatius did 
follow after. He gave helps. He did lay the pota- 
toes he did pick up on the piles I did pick up. He is 
a most good dog. When near gray-light-time was 
come, the chore boy went from the field. When 
most-dark-time was come Brave Horatius and I so 
went. When we were come to the house we live in, 
the folks was gone to visit at the house of Elsie. I 
did take my bowl of bread and milk, and I did eat 
it on the back steps. Brave Horatius ate his supper 
near me. He did eat his all long before I did mine. 
So I did give him some of mine. Then we watched 
the stars come out. 

I did not have goings to school to-day, for this is 
wash-day and the mamma did have needs of me at 
home. There was baby clothes to wash. The mamma 
does say that is my work, and I do try to do it in 



THE STORY OF OPAL 41 

the proper way she does say it ought to be done. 
It does take quite a long time, and all the time it is 
taking I do have longings to go on exploration 
trips. And I do want to go talk with William 
Shakespeare there where he is pulling logs in the 
near woods. And I do want to go talk with Eliza- 
beth Barrett Browning in the pasture, and with 
Peter Paul Rubens and Aphrodite in the pig-pens. 
All the time it does take to wash the clothes of the 
baby — it is a long time. And I do stop at in- 
between times to listen to the voices. They are 
always talking. And the brook that does go by our 
house is always bringing songs from the hills. 

When the clothes of the baby were most white, I 
did bring them again to the wash-bench that does 
set on the porch that does go out from our back 
door. Then there was the chickens to feed, and the 
stockings were to rub. Stockings do have needs of 
many rubs. That makes them clean. While I did 
do the rubs, I did sing little songs to the grasses 
that grow about our door. After the stockings did 
have many rubs, the baby it was to tend. I did 
sing it songs of songs Angel Mother did sing to me. 
And sleeps came upon the baby. But she is a baby 
that does have wake-ups between times. To-day 
she had a goodly number. 

By-and-by, when the washing was part done, 
then the mamma went away to the grandma's 
house to get some soap. When she went away she 
did say she wished she did n't have to bother with 



42 THE STORY OF OPAL 

carrying water to scrub the floor. She does n't. 
While she has been gone a good while, I have plenty 
of water on the floor for her to mop it when she gets 
back. When she did go away, she said to me to 
wring the clothes out of the wash. There were a lot 
of clothes in the wash — skirts and aprons and 
shirts and dresses and clothes that you wear under 
dresses. Every bit of clothes I took out of the tubs 
I carried into the kitchen and squeezed all the 
water out on the kitchen floor. That makes lots of 
water everywhere — under the cook-table and 
under the cupboard and under the stove. Why, 
there is most enough water to mop the three floors, 
and then some water would be left over. I did feel 
glad feels because it was so as the mamma did 
want it. 

While I did wait for her coming, I did make 
prints and mind the baby. When the mamma was 
come, she did look not glad looks at the water on 
the floor. She did only look looks for the switches 
over the kitchen window. After I did have many 
sore feels, she put me out the door to stay out. I 
did have sorry feels for her. I did so try hard to 
be helps. 

When a little way I was gone from the door, I did 
look looks about. I saw brown leaves and brown 
birds. Brown leaves were erahle leaves and ckene 
leaves, and the brown birds were wrens. And all 
their ways were hurry ways. I did turn about and 
I did go in a hurry way to a root in the near woods. 



THE STORY OF OPAL 43 

I so went to get my little candle. Then I did go to 
the Jardin des Tuileries. Often it is I do go there 
near unto the near woods. Many days after I was 
here come, I did go ways to look for Jardin des 
Tuileries. I found it not. Sadie McKibben did say 
there is none such here. Then being needs for it and 
it being not, I did have it so. And in it I have put 
statues of hiver and all the others, and here I do 
plant plants and little trees. And every little tree 
that I did plant it was for someone that was. And 
on their borning days I do hold services by the 
trees I have so planted for them. 

To-day I did go in quick steps to the tree I have 
planted for Louis Philippe, roi de France, for this is 
the day of his borning in 1773. I did have prayers. 
Then I did light my little candle. Seventy-six big 
candles Angel Father did so light for him, but so 
I cannot do, for only one little candle I have. It 
did burn in a bright way. Then I did sing "Deo 
Gratias." I so did sing for the borning day of Louis 
Philippe, roi de France. Then I did sing "Sanctus, 
sanctus, sanctus, Domihus Deus." 

Afterwards I did have thinks about Thomas 
Chatterton Jupiter Zeus — about his nose, its feels. 
I so went in the way that does go to the hospital. 
That dear pet rat's nose is getting well. Some way 
he got his nose too near that trap they set for rats 
in the barn. Of course, when I found him that 
morning I let him right out of the trap. He has a 
ward all to himself in the hospital. For breakfast 



44 THE STORY OF OPAL 

he has some of my oatmeal. For dinner he has some 
of my dinner. And for supper I carry to him corn 
in ajar Hd. Sadie McKibben, who has on her face 
many freckles and a kind heart, gives me enough 
mentholatum to put on his nose seven times a day. 
And he is growing better. And to-day when I was 
come to the hospital, I took him in my arms. He 
did cuddle up. 

Too, he gave his cheese squeak. That made me 
have lonesome feels. I can't carry cheese to him 
any more out of the house we live in. I can't be- 
cause, when the mamma learned that I was carry- 
ing cheese to Thomas Chatterton Jupiter Zeus, she 
said to me while she did apply a kindling to the back 
part of me : " Don't you dare carry any more cheese 
out to that rat." And since then I do not carry 
cheese out to Thomas Chatterton Jupiter Zeus, but 
I do carry him into the kitchen to the cheese. I let 
him sniff long sniffs at it. Then I push his nose 
back and I cut from the big piece of cheese delicate 
slices for Thomas Chatterton Jupiter Zeus. This I 
do when the mamma is n't at home. 

To-day, she being come again to the house we 
live in, I could not have goings there for Thomas 
Chatterton Jupiter Zeus to the cheese. I did go the 
way that goes to the house of Sadie McKibben. I 
did go that way so she might have knowings of the 
nose-improvements of Thomas Chatterton Jupiter 
Zeus. When I was most come here he did squeak 
more of his cheese squeaks. It was most hard — 



THE STORY OF OPAL 45 

having hearing of him and not having cheese for 
him. I could hardly keep from crying. He is a 
most lovely wood-rat, and all his ways are ways of 
gentleness. And he is just like the mamma's baby 
— when he squeaks he does have expects to get 
what he squeaks for. I did cuddle him up more 
close in my arms. And he had not squeaks again 
for some little time. It was when I was talking to 
Sadie McKibben about the chateau of Neuilly that 
I do have most part done — it was then he did give 
his squeaks. He began and went ou and did con- 
tinue so. I just could n't keep from crying. His 
cheese longings are like my longings for Angel 
Mother and Angel Father. He did just crawl up 
and put his nose against my curls. I did stand first 
on one foot and then on the other. The things I was 
going to say did go in a swallow down my throat. 
Sadie McKibben did wipe her hands on her blue 
gingham apron with cross stitches on it. She did 
have askings what was the matter with Thomas 
Chatterton Jupiter Zeus. And I just said, "O 
Sadie McKibben, it's his cheese squeak." And she 
said not a word, but she did go in a quick way to 
her kitchen. She brought back a piece of cheese. 
It was n't a little piece. It was a great big piece. 
There's enough in it for four breakfasts and six 
dinners. When Sa.die McKibben did give it to me 
for him, she did smooth back my curls and she did 
give me three kisses — one on each cheek and one 
on the nose. She smiled her smile upon us, and we 



46 THE STORY OF OPAL 

were most happy, and we did go from her house 
to the cathedral. There I did have a thank service 
for the goodness of God and the goodness of Sadie 
McKibben, and the piece of cheese that did bring 
peace to the lovely Thomas Chatterton Jupiter 
Zeus. 



CHAPTER VII 

The Adventure of the Tramper; and what Happens on Long 
and on Short Days. 

To-day was a fall-time-is-here day. I heard the 
men say so that were talking at the meeting of the 
roads. From the meeting of the roads I did hurry 
on. I so did in a quick way because, when I was 
come to the meeting of the roads, I did have remem- 
bers as how the mamma did say at morningtime 
there was much work to be done before eventime. 

When I was come to the house we hve in, the 
mamma and the httle girl and the baby — they 
were all gone to the house of Elsie. I made a start 
at the works. I did feed the chickens, and there 
was much wood to bring in, and baby clothes to 
wash, and ashes to empty from the stove. These 
four things I did. I looked looks about to see what 
other works did have needs to be done. I had 
remembers that when the papa went away to work 
this morning he said he did not have time to cut 
the ham before he went. I have knows if he is too 
busy in the morning to get a thing done, it mostly 
don't get done when he comes home from work at 
night. It so does not, because he has so tired feels. 

To-day I had thinks the time was come when I 
better help about that ham. I went out to the wood- 



48 THE STORY OF OPAL 

shed. I went not out to get wood. I went out to 
the wood-shed to 'tend to that ham. I had thinks 
I better make an early start or that ham wouldn't 
be cut up by evening. I piled wood high enough so I 
could stand on tiptoes and reach to the flour-sack 
the ham was tied in. But I could not get that sack 
down. I pulled and pulled, but it would n't come 
down. I did n't have knows what I was going to 
do. Pretty soon, by having concentration of my 
thinks, I thought of a way. I got the scissors and 
cut the bottom out of that sack. That ham came 
down right quick. It landed on its back on the 
woodpile. My foot slipped and I landed on top of it. 
I got up and dragged it up on the chopping- 
block. Then I got the butcher knife from its place 
in the cook-table drawer. I went to work. That 
knife did n't seem to make moves like the moves it 
does make when it is in the hands of the papa. I 
tried to make it go down in a quick way. It went 
not so. I looked close looks at it. Its appears did 
have looks like it did have needs of a sharp penny- 
ing. I have seen the papa sharp pen it on the grind- 
stone by the singing brook. So did I. I poured a 
goodly amount of water on that stone wheel. Most 
of the water splashed off. The rest did trickle away. 
Then I did hold that knife to the stone wheel. And 
I did make tries to turn it in a quick way like I have 
seen the papa do.. But I could not make that wheel 
go in quick turns. It would not so go. I made big 
tries for a long time. 



THE STORY OF OPAL 49 

When I had thinks the knife did look some bet- 
ter, I did go again to my work. I walked three 
times around that ham there on the chopping- 
block. I so did to take looks at it to see where I 
better make begins. I did have thinks in under its 
outside where it is most big would be the proper 
place. I made begins. I did make the knife to go a 
little way. Then I made a stop to rest. Then I 
made the knife go some more. I made another 
stop to rest. I went on. Pretty soon a slice of ham 
landed. It fell off the chopping-block onto a stick 
of wood. I picked it up. I held it up to take a look 
at it. My, I did feel such proud feels from my toes 
to my curls. I had it cut in such a nice way. It 
had frills around it and holes in between — just 
like Elsie's crochet doily that she keeps on her best 
stand-table. I have knows the papa never did cut 
a slice of ham that way. The slices of ham he cuts 
— they never do have frilly looks with holes in 
between. After I did hang that slice of ham on a 
nail by the door, I did cut another slice. It was not 
so wide but it had more longness and some strings 
on it like the little short strings on the nightcap of 
Jenny Strong. I had not decides yet where to hang 
it. It was when I was having thinks about it — it 
was then I did hear a heavy step. 

I turned me all about, and there was a tramper 
by the wood-shed door. He had not gentle looks 
like some trampers have. His beard did grow in 
the hobo way. And his appears did look like he 



50 THE STORY OF OPAL 

knew not knowings of neatness. He stood there 
looking looks at that ham. He kept his looks on it, 
and he did walk right Into the wood-shed. He had 
asking if the mamma was at home. I said, "No, 
she is not. She is at the house of Elsie." Then he 
says, "I guess I'll take this ham along with me." 

I almost lost my breathings, because I did have 
remembers of all the days the papa has plans to 
have that ham for breakfast and dinner and supper. 
So I just sat down on the chopping-block. I sat on 
the ham and I spread my blue calicoe apron out 
over it. I put my hand on its handle that it hangs 
in the wood-shed by. Me and my apron covered 
that ham so he could n't have seeing of it. And 
while I sat on the ham, I did pray God to keep it 
safe for the breakfasts and dinners and suppers of 
the papa and the mamma. 

The tramper looked queer looks at me. He came 
a little more near. I did pray on. And God in his 
goodness sent answers to my prayer in a quick way. 
Brave Horatius came on a run from somewhere. 
He made a stop at the wood-shed door. He looked 
a look in. He gave a growl. Then he went at that 
tramper. He did grab him by his ragged pants. I 
have thinks may be his teeth did touch the ankle of 
the tramper, because he gave a little pain squeal 
and shook his leg. Then he did go in a hurry away. 
Brave Horatius followed after. 

I was just going to start work again on that ham, 
when the mamma was come home from her visit. 



THE STORY OF OPAL 51 

She did soon give me a whipping and put me here 
under the bed. Now I have wonders what that 
whipping was for. I did feed the chickens and 
carry in the wood and do the baby's washing and 
erripty the ashes. And more I did beside — I cut 
two sHces of ham with frills on them. 

Now I have thinks about trampers — how they 
do differ. Many of them follow the railroad track. 
They make goes to the upper camps beyond the 
riviere. They do carry a roll on their backs. They 
so carry their blankets. They go that way and 
some of them come down the track very soon again. 
Some stay nowhere long. 

Some of the trampers that go the way that goes 
to the upper camps do have stops when they go by 
here. They stop to get a bite to eat. And some 
come to the front door, and some do come to the 
back door. They knock on the door. Some rap 
their knuckles hard and some tap in a gentle way. 
There was one who so did one week ago. Sleeps 
was just come upon the baby after I did sing it " Le 
chanson de Saint Firmin," and I did go to the door 
to see who it was. The man that it was, he said he 
was on his way to get work at the upper camps. 
He was a man with a clean sad face and a kind look 
in his eyes. And the roll upon his back was a heavy 
roll. I straightway did go and get my bowl of bread 
and milk that I was going to have for dinner. I 
gave it to him. He ate it in a hungry way, like 
Brave Horatius does eat his supper when we are 



52 THE STORY OF OPAL 

come back from a long explore trip. Then, when 
the man did eat all the bread and milk, he did split 
some wood out in the woodshed. He did pile it up 
in a nice way. Then he went. He went on to the 
upper camps. When he did go he said, "The Lord's 
blessing be with you, child." I said, "It is." And 
I did tell him, "We have a cathedral in the woods 
— and this eventime, when we have prayers there, 
we will pray that you may get work at the upper 
camps." And at coming of eventime we did. And 
Peter Paul Rubens did grunt Amen at in-between 
times. Now every day we do pray for the man that 
was hungry and had a kind look in his eyes. 

Some days are long. Some days are short. The 
days that I have to stay in the house are the most 
long days of all. In the morningtime of now, I had 
thinks to go on explores. I was going to Saint 
Firmin and adown the Nonette. I was going to 
listen to its singings. And Peter Paul Rubens and 
Brave Horatius and Lars Porsena of Clusium and 
Thomas Chatterton Jupiter Zeus — we were all 
going together. When I did have the wood In the 
wood-box, the mamma hollered at me. She said 
when she got back from Elsie's she was going to 
make me stay in the house all the rest of the day. 

While she was gone to the house of Elsie, I did 
make prepares. I took all the safety-pins out of 
the machine drawer. I took all the patch-pieces 
out of the mamma's work-basket. I made patches 



THE STORY OF OPAL 53 

all over my underskirt except where I do sit down. 
I put Louis II, le Grand Conde, in one of the pock- 
ets I did so make. I put Lucian Horace Ovid 
Virgil in another one. In one more pocket I put 
Felix Mendelssohn. He peeked out. Then he set- 
tled down. He so does like to take naps in the pock- 
ets I pin on my underskirts. I put Nannerl Mozart 
In another pocket. Then, when the mamma was 
come, I did walk Into the house in a quiet way. 

Before she did go she told me do's to do while 
she was gone. She told me to keep the fire going 
and to tend the baby — to fix its bottle for it and 
to mind it all the time. Then she shut the door and 
locked it and went in the way that does go to the 
house of the grandma by the meeting of the roads. 
I did watch her out the window. Then I did put 
some more wood In the fire. After that I did look 
looks about. There are no rows and rows and rows 
of books in this house, like Angel Mother and Angel 
Father had. There is only three books here. One 
Is a cook-book and one is a doctor-book and one Is 
a almanac. They all are on top of the cupboard 
most against the top of the house. They have not 
Interest names on their backs. The alarm-clock 
does set on the shelf where It always sets all day 
long. At night-time It sets on a chair by the bed 
that the mamma and the papa sleep In. It sets on 
the chair all night with Its alarm set. It Is so the 
papa will be made awake early In the morning. 
That clock has Interest looks. Some day when 



54 THE STORY OF OPAL 

there is not a fire In the stove, I have thinks I will 
take that clock apart to see what its looks are in- 
side. On a day when there is no fire in the stove, L 
will climb upon it. I can reach that shelf when I 
stand on tiptoe on top of the stove. 

After I did look looks at the clock, I did look 
looks out the front window. There are calf-tracks 
by our front door. These tracks are there because 
when I went walking with Elizabeth Barrett Brown- 
ing on yesterday, I had her wait at the front step 
while I did go into the kitchen to get her some 
sugar-lumps. She has a fondness for sweet things. 
I think she will grow up to be a lovely cow. Her 
mooings now are very musical, and there is poetry 
in her tracks. She does make such dainty ones. 
When they dry up in the lane, I dig up her tracks, 
and I save them. There is much poetry in them; 
and when I take her track out that I keep in the 
back part of the cook-table drawer, I look at it and 
think, this way passed Elizabeth Barrett Browning. 

After I did look looks out the front window, I did 
look looks out the back window. William Shake- 
speare and the others — they were pulling in logs. 
That Rob Ryder was trying to make them go more 
fast. All the horses do have to pull so hard when 
they pull logs in. Sometimes they look tired looks, 
and when they are come in from work I go to the 
barn. I rub their heads; for when the mamma is 
tired she does lilce rubs on her head. 



CHAPTER VIII 

How Opal Takes a Walk in the Forest of Chantilly; she Visits 
Elsie and her Baby Boy, and Explains Many Things to 
the Girl that Has no Seeing. 

While I did watch the horses, the baby had 
wake-ups, I went to sing her to sleep. I sang her 
about William Wordsworth. When sleeps was 
come upon the baby I had remembers when she 
went away the mamma wished she did have some 
varnish to shine up the furniture with. So while 
she is gone I have given the furniture a shine-up 
with vaseline. Vaseline gives just as bright a 
shine as varnish does. I have aunt tis a pay shuns 
the mamma will be pleased when her arrives come 
home. 

When the furniture was all fixed proper, I looked 
a look out the window. Raindrops were beginning 
to come down from the sky. Their coming was in a 
gentle way. I had longs to be out with them. I so 
do like to feel the raindrops patter on my head and 
I like to run runs and hold out my hands to meet 
them. There was more rain and there was sun- 
shine. There came across the sky the arc-en-ciel. 
Then was its going, and grayness after. I watched 
the raindrops in the brook going on and on. When 
I grow up I am going to write a book about a rain- 
drop's journey. 



56 THE STORY OF OPAL 

While I did watch the raindrops I had longs to 
go to the foret de Chantilly and adown by Nonette. 
I did have thinks more about it. I took some of the 
wood out of the wood-box. I stood it up for trees. 
I called them all foret de Chantilly. We went a 
walk between them — Lucian Horace Ovid Virgil 
and I did. Then I took the dipper full of water and 
I let it pour in little pours a riviere on the kitchen 
floor. That was for Nonette. Then all of us went a 
walk by Nonette. We went in little steps to make 
the time go longer. Felix Mendelssohn perched on 
my shoulder. Louis H, le Grand Conde, did ride 
in my hands, and Nannerl Mozart in my apron 
pocket. I took some more water and the dipper and 
I made it go a little riviere to join Nonette. Then 
we went a walk by Lounette. And more I did 
pour in little pours to join Nonette. That was for 
Aunette. 

After we did have walks all in between the foret 
de Chantilly, I took more sticks from the wood- 
box back of the stove and I made another foret. 
Then we went walking in the foret d'Ermenonville. 
When we were come back from that walk, I made 
some lions out of cheese. Two I made. I made them 
to put in foret de Chantilly at the begins of route 
du Connetable. Then we went a walk again in 
foret de Chantilly. I had to have carefuls not to go 
a step too big, because I did stand the sticks of 
wood near unto one another, and if I took a big 
step they might have falls over. 



THE STORY OF OPAL 57 

While I was standing up more sticks of woods for 
more trees in foret de Chantilly, the baby did have 
wake-ups. I went to sing it to sleep. I sang it 
about Good King Edward I. When I went again 
into the kitchen, there was Louis II, le Grand 
Conde, and Felix Mendelssohn and Nannerl Mo- 
zart all in the foret de Chantilly. They were at the 
begins of the route du Connetable. They were 
nibbling nibbles at the two lions there of cheese. 
Already they did have ragged noses, where all of 
the three mouses did nibble nibbles. I have thinks 
I will have to make lions of stone for the begins 
of route du Connetable. The baby had wakes-up 
again. I did sing it to sleep with chant d^automne. 

Now I sit here and I print. The baby sleeps on. 
The wind comes creeping in under the door. It 
calls, *'Come, come, petite Fran^oise, come." It 
calls to me to come go exploring. It sings of the 
things that are to be found under leaves. It whis- 
pers the dreams of the tall fir trees. It does pipe 
the gentle song the forest sings on gray days. I hear 
all the voices calling me. I listen — but I cannot 

go- 
Now are come the days of brown leaves. They 
fall from the trees. They flutter on the ground. 
When the brown leaves flutter, they are saying 
little things. They talk with the wind. I hear them 
tell of their borning days when they did come into 
the world as leaves. And they whisper of the hoods 



58 THE STORY OF OPAL 

they wore then. I saw them. I use to count them 
on the way to school. To-day they were talking of 
the time before their horning days of this spring- 
time. They talked on and on, and I did listen on 
to what they were telling the wind and the earth 
in their whisperings. They told how they were a 
part of earth and air before their tree-borning days. 
And now they are going back. In gray days of 
winter they go back to the earth again. But they 
do not die. 

And in the morning of to-day it was that I did 
listen to these talkings of the brown leaves. Then 
I faced about. I turned my face and all of me to the 
way that leads to the house we live in, for there was 
much works to be done. 

When I was come to the house I went around and 
I did walk in the back doorway. The mamma 
was n't in. I took long looks about to see what 
works I best do first. There was washed-up dishes 
in a bake-pan, so I did dish-towel them all and put 
them away. There was needs to climb upon a chair 
and upon a box, to put those dishes where they 
ought to be put. While I was up there, I took looks 
about to see what there was. I saw a cake of bon 
ami. Bon ami is to give things a shine-up. And 
this morning I gave the knives a shine-up and the 
forks too. Then I tried bon ami on the black ket- 
tles and the bake-pans. It did not give unto tjiem 
such nice appears, so I gave them a shine-up with 
vaseline. After that I did take the broom from its 



THE STORY OF OPAL 59 

place, and I gave the floor a good brooming. I 
broomed the boards up and down and cross-ways. 
There was not a speck of dirt on them left. What 
I did sweep off with the broom, I did place into a 
shoe-box lid and dust it in the stove. Then the 
floor did look clean like the mamma does say it 
ought to look all the time. I put the broom back in 
its place where the mamma does say it ought to be. 

Then I did look looks from the floor to the win- 
dow. I thought I better clean the window too while 
I was fixing things. Just when I started to put bon 
ami on the window, I did look out to see what I 
could see. I saw Agamemnon Menelaus Dindon 
going in a slow walk by. He was giving his neck a 
stretch-out. He gave it another one, and when he 
made a swallow his throat did look appears of 
croup. And croup does always have needs of being 
fixed up. So I laid down the bon ami, and I went 
and I did pour a whole lot of coal-oil down the 
throat of Agamemnon Menelaus Dindon. That 
was to make his croup go away. Now he will be 
feeling well feels real soon. He did n't want to take 
the coal-oil. I had to hold him tight. Some turkey 
gobblers can kick most hard. 

When I did have him fixqd I thought I better 
take looks about to see if any more folks did have 
croup appears. I yet did have some coal-oil left in 
the bottle. Few folks were about, and none did 
have croup looks. So I did go again to the cleaning 
of the window. When that was done in the proper 



6o THE STORY OF OPAL 

way the mamma says It ought to be done, I did 
stop to eat some bread and milk, for it was after 
dinner-time and it was a long time before supper- 
time. 

After that I went out in the wood-shed where the 
papa keeps his tools. He keeps them in a big box. 
Some days he forgets to lock the box. Those days 
I have very interesting times in the wood-shed. 
There are all kinds of queer-looking things in that 
tool-box. Just when I did have the lid open the 
mamma did call. 

She was come again home, and she sent me back 
to Elsie's to get the tidy she was crocheting that 
she did forget and leave there. So I did go the way 
that does lead to the house of Elsie. It is not far 
from the house we live in, and Elsie has not been 
married long. She only has one baby. She has 
much liking for it. Elsie is a very young girl — 
a very young girl to be married, the mamma says. 
To-day when I came to the house of Elsie, she was 
trotting on her knee that dear baby boy the angels 
brought her when she did live at the other camp 
where we did live too. To him she was singing a 
song. It was — 

*' Gallop-a-trot, 
Gallop-a-trot, 
This is the way the gentlemen ride, 
Gallop-a-trot." 

She tossed her head as she did sing. And the joy- 
light danced in her eyes. 



THE STORY OF OPAL 6i 

I have thinks it must be wonderful happiness to 
be married. I have seen the same joy-Hght in the 
eyes of her tall young husband. It is there much 
when he is come home at eventide from work in the 
woods. Then she does have many kind words and 
kisses for him. He has adoors for her, and too he 
has a pumpadoor that he smooths back with 
vaseline. Why to-day I did see he had used most 
all of the vaseline out of that jar that sets on their 
kitchen shelf. That vaseline jar has an interest 
look. I have been watching it. And every day 
when I do stand on tiptoe and take peeks at it, 
there is not so much vaseline in it as there was in 
it the day before. I have thinks it does take a 
goodly amount to keep his pumpadoor smooth. 

While I was bringing home the tidy the mamma 
did leave at the house of Elsie, I met a chapine 
baby. He did sail away. Erable leaves did go in 
little hops, and so went L Soon I saw a gray board. 
I did turn it over. Under that old gray board were 
five little silk bags. They were white and they did 
feel lumps. I know baby spiders will come out of 
them when comes spring days, because last year I 
found bags like these, and this year in the spring 
baby spiders walked out. They were very fidgety 
youngsters. 

Just when I did most have decides to take them 
to the nursery, I heard the mamma calling. I put 
the board back again in the way it was before I 
came that way. Then I did run a quick run to the 



62 THE STORY OF OPAL 

house. And the mamma did send me in a hurry to 
the wood-shed. It was for two loads of wood she 
wanted. I did bring in the first load in a hurry. 
The second load I brought not so. I did pick up 
all the sticks my arms could hold. While I was 
picking them up, I looked long looks at them. I 
went not to the kitchen with them in a quick way. 
I was meditating. I did have thinks about the 
tree they all were before they got chopped up. I 
did wonder how I would feel if I was a very little 
piece of wood that got chopped out of a very big 
tree. I did think that it would have hurt my feel- 
ings. I felt of the feelings of the wood. They did 
have a very sad feel. 

Just when I was getting that topmost stick a bit 
wet with sympathy tears — then the mamma did 
come up behind me with a switch. She said while 
she did switch, ''Stop your meditations." And 
while she did switch, I did drop the wood. I felt 
the feels the sticks of wood felt when they hit the 
floor. Then I did pick them up with care and I put 
them all in the wood-box back of the cook-stove. 
I put them there because the mamma said I must 
put them there. But all the time I was churning I 
did hum a little song. It was a good-bye song to the 
sticks in the wood-box back of the kitchen stove. 

When the churning was done and the butter was 
come, the mamma did lift all the little lumps of 
butter out of the* churn. Then she did pat them 
together In a big lump, and this she put away in 



THE STORY OF OPAL 63 

the butter-box in the wood-shed. When she went 
to lay herself down to rest on the bed, she did call 
me to rub her head. I like to rub the mamma's 
head, for it does help the worry lines to go away. 
Often I rub her head, for it is often she does have 
longings to have it so. And I do think it is very 
nice to help people have what they do have long- 
ings for. 

By-and-by, when the mamma did have sleeps 
and after I did print, I did go to listen to the voices. 
The wind was calling. His calling was to little wood- 
folk and me. He did call more again: "Come, pe- 
tite Fran^oise, come go explores." He was in a rush. 
I raced. Brave Horatius ran. We played tag with 
the wind. The wind does have many things to 
tell. He does toss back one's curls so he can whisper 
things in one's ears. To-day he did twice push back 
my curls three times, that I might better hear what 
he did have to say. He whispered little whispers 
about the cradles of moths to be that hang a-swing- 
ing on the bushes in the woods. I went around to 
see about it. I looked looks on many bushes. Some 
brown leaves were swinging from some bushes. No 
cradles I found. 

By-and-by I came to a log. It was a nice little 
log. It was as long as three pigs as long as Peter 
Paul Rubens. I climbed upon it. I so did to look 
more looks about. The wind did blow in a real 
quick way. He made music all around. I danced 
on the log. It is so much a big amount of joy to 



64 THE STORY OF OPAL 

dance on a log when the wind does play the harps 
in the forest. Then do I dance on tiptoe. I wave 
greetings to the plant-bush folks that do dance all 
about. To-day a grand pine tree did wave its arms 
to me. And the bush branches patted my cheek in 
a friendly way. The wind again did blow back my 
curls. They clasp the fingers of the bush people 
most near. I did turn around to untangle them. It 
is most difficult to dance on tiptoe on a log when 
one's curls are in a tangle with the branches of a 
friendly bush that grows near unto the log and 
does make bows to one while the wind doth blow. 

When I did turn to untangle my curls, I saw a 
silken cradle in a hazel branch. I have thinks that 
the wind did just tangle my curls so I would have 
seeing of that cradle. It was cream, with a hazel 
leaf half-way round it. I put it to my ear and I did 
listen. It had a little voice. It was not a tone 
voice. It was a heart voice. While I did listen, I 
did feel its feels. It has lovely ones. And I did 
hurry away in the way that does lead to the house 
of the girl that has no seeing. I went that way so 
she too might know its feels and hear its heart 
voice. She does so like to feel things. She has 
seeing by feels. Often I do carry things to her when 
I find them and she knows some of my friends. 
Peter Paul Rubens has gone with me to visit 
her. So has gone Felix Mendelssohn and Nannerl 
Mozart — the two mices with voices that squeak 
mouse-songs in the night. And Plato and Pliny, 



THE STORY OF OPAL 65 

the two bats, and others go too. And their goings 
and what she has thinks about them I have printed 
here in my prints. And it is often I go the way that 
does lead to her house, for the girl who has no 
seeing — she and I — we are friends. 

One day I told her about the trees talking. Then 
she did want to know about the voices, and now I 
do help her to hear them. And too I tell her about 
comparer, that Angel Father did teach me to play, 
and I show her the way. She cannot look long 
looks at things, to see how they look not looks alike, 
because she has no seeing. So she is learning to 
play comparer by feels. 

To-day, after she did feel the feels of the cream 
cradle and we did play comparer, then she asked me 
what the trees were saying. And I led her out 
across her yard and away to the woods, and Brave 
Horatius did follow after. I led her in the way 
that does lead to that grand fir tree, Good King 
Louis VL And when we were come unto him, I did 
touch his finger-tips to her cheeks. She liked that. 
Then we did stand near unto him, and I told her 
of the trees in the night, of the things they tell to 
the shadows that wander through the woods. She 
said she did n't think she would like to be a shadow. 

And just then she stubbed her toe. She did ask 
me what that was there near unto her foot. I told 
her it was a ville I did build there — the ville of St. 
Denis. She wanted to know why I builded it there. 
I told her there was needs of it, being near unto 



66 THE STORY OF OPAL 

Good King Louis VI, for he so loved it; so I builded 
it there where his branches shelter it and his kind- 
ness looks kind looks upon it. And I did tell her 
about his being on his way to St. Denis when he 
died. While I builded up again the corner of the 
abbey, I did give explanations about how lovely 
it is to be a gray shadow walking along and touch- 
ing the faces of people. Shadows do have such 
velvety fingers. 

After that we did go on. We went on on to where 
dwell Alan of Bretagne and Etienne of Blois and 
Godefroi of Bouillon and Raymond of Toulouse. 
To each I led the girl who has no seeing, and she 
was glad to know them all. They are grand trees. 
As we went our way, we did listen unto the voices. 
And I took all the hairpins that was in her hair out 
of it. I so did so the wind could blow it back and 
whisper things into her ears. The wind does have 
so much to tell of far lands and of little folks that 
dwell near unto us in the fields and in the woods. 

To-day near eventime I did lead the girl who has 
no seeing a little way away into the forest, where it 
was darkness, and shadows were. I led her toward a 
shadow that was coming our way. It did touch her 
cheeks with its velvety fingers. And now she too 
does have likings for shadows. And her fear that 
was is gone. And after that we turned about to 
the way that does lead out of the forest. And so we 
went and I led her again home. We did hurry a 
bit. We so did because it was most time for her 



THE STORY OF OPAL 67 

folks to be there. Often she does say I must n't 
be thereabout when her folks are thereabout. I 
don't be. 

At the steps of the door that does go into her 
house she did tell me good-bye. When she so did, 
she kissed me on each cheek like she always does. 
Then I did turn my face to the way that leads to 
the house we live in. Cloud-ships were sailing over 
the hills. They were in a hurry. The wind was in a 
hurry. Brown leaves, little ones and big ones, were 
hurrying along. I thought I had better get a hurry 
on me. I did. 

When I was come near unto the barn, I did go in 
to get Plato and Pliny. I put them in my apron 
pockets. The barn was rather dark. There were 
friendly shadows in its corners. When I came out 
I thought of Peter Paul Rubens. I did have thinks 
cathedral service would be good for his soul. I went 
again into the barn to get his little bell that he 
does always wear around his neck to service, and I 
did put it on. There was a time when there was no 
little bell for Peter Paul Rubens to wear to service. 
That was in the days before one day when I did 
say to the man that wears gray neckties and is 
kind to mice, "I do have needs of a little bell for 
Peter Paul Rubens to wear to church." I got it. 
And Peter Paul Rubens always knows he is going 
to the cathedral when I put that little bell around 
his neck. It does make lovely silver tinkles as he 
goes walking down the aisle to the altar. 



68 THE STORY OF OPAL 

To-night so we did go, and too with us was Eliz- 
abeth Barrett Browning. When we were come 
near unto the hospital, I went aside for Thomas 
Chatterton Jupiter Zeus. In the cathedral the 
wind and the trees sang a vesper song. And I 
prayed for quite a time long little prayers and long 
prayers for the goodness of us all. Peter Paul 
Rubens did grunt Amen at in-between times. 

Now I hear the mamma say, ''I wonder where 
Opal is." She has forgets. I'm still under the bed 
where she did put me quite a time ago. And all 
this nice long time light is come to here from the 
lamp on the kitchen table — light enough so I 
can print prints. I am happy. I think I better 
crawl out now and go into the bed for sleeps 



CHAPTER IX 

Of an Exploring Trip with Brave Horatius; and how Opal 
Kept Sadness away from her Animal Friends. 

Near eventime to-day I did go out the house 
when the works were done. I went out the front 
door and a little way down the path. I made a stop 
to watch the clouds. They first did come over the 
hills in a slow way. Then they did sail on and on. 
They were like ships. I did have wonders what 
thoughts they were carrying from the hills to some- 
where. While I did watch, Brave Horatius did 
come and stand by my side. He looked up at me. 
In his eyes were askings. I made explainings. I 
told him, "Le ciel est plein de nuages, qui ont I'air 
de navires." 

While I did talk with him, the mamma did call. 
I went in. Brave Horatius followed after. She 
made him go out the other door. I went too. I 
went to get the potatoes the mamma wanted for 
supper. I got them out of a sack in the wood- 
shed. When she did make prepares to peel the 
potatoes, the mamma reached away back in the 
cook-table drawer for the paring knife. When she 
did reach so far back, she did feel the track of 
Elizabeth Barrett Browning. Then she pulled it 
out real quick. She threw It out the window. When 
I went to pick it up, it was broken into eleven 



70 THE STORY OF OPAL 

pieces. I did gather up all the pieces. They got a 
little bit wet from tears that trickled down my 
nose. When I did get the pieces together, I did put 
them in the back part of the machine drawer. 

While I so did, I heard a grunt by the bedroom 
window. I climbed out. There was Peter Paul 
Rubens, and near unto him was Brave Horatius. 
To each I gave four pats on the nose. They have 
likes for pats on the nose. Then I went adown the 
path. They walked beside me. I saw the cloud- 
ships sailing on. I made a stop to tell Peter Paul 
Rubens what I did tell Brave Horatius. I did n't 
get it all told. When I did say, "Le ciel est plein 
de nuages," Peter Paul Rubens did grunt a grunt 
to go on. That was his own dear way of telling me 
he already did have knowings those clouds looked 
like ships. I gave him a pat and one to Brave 
Horatius too. 

I went on. They walked beside me. I went on a 
little way. Then I did go aside from the path. I 
so went to the altar of Saint Louis. Three logs and 
four stumps and three trees it is distant from the 
path. And I took there with me all the little plants 
with green leaves — the ones I did dig up yester- 
day. I brought them to plant them in a crown there 
on his altar, for this day is the day of his crowning 
in 1226. While I did plant them, the wind did sing 
a memory song. And the trees were talking. I 
have thinks th'ey were saying of the goodness of 
Saint Louis. Peter Paul Rubens, he did have 



THE STORY OF OPAL 71 

understanding of what they were saying. He did 
grunt Amen at in-between times. 

To-day in the morning, when the mamma was 
in the other room, I did take down from its hook 
the papa's big coat. I did put it onto me and it did 
trail away out behind. I Hke to wear the papa's 
big coat. Jenny Strong, who comes to visit us, says 
the reason I Hke to wear the papa's big coat is 
because it makes me more grown-up. She's wrong. 
The reason I Hke to wear the papa's big coat is 
because it has pockets in it — big ones — nice 
ones to put toads and mice and caterpiHars and 
beetles in. That's why I like to wear the papa's 
coat. Why, when I go walking in the papa's big 
coat, nearly the whole nursery can go along. This 
morning, just as I was making a start out the door 
to the nursery, the mamma came into the kitchen. 
She did hurry to the door and I did hurry out. But 
she caught me by the end of the coat. She did get 
that coat off of me in a quick way. She hung it 
back on its nail. When it was hung on its nail in 
the proper way, she gave to me a shoulder-shake. 
And I did go to feed the chickens. 

After I did feed the chickens all, and have some 
conversations with them, I went in to get the lard- 
pail that does have my school lunch in it. While I 
was putting my jacket on, the mamma did tie a 
new piece of asfiditee around my neck to keep me 
from having disease. It was a big piece of asfiditee. 



72 THE STORY OF OPAL 

It did n't stay a big piece very long. I divided it 
with my animal friends. Now each one of us has a 
bit of asfiditee tied around our necks, so we will 
not catch sickness. I do so like to share things. I 
could not find Brave Horatius to give him his share. 
I did have it already to tie around his dear neck, 
but he did not answer when I did call. I called in 
the woods and I called in the field. When he did 
not come, I went a little way back in the woods to 
a root. I hid his piece of asfiditee there. To-morrow 
morning I will tie it around his neck. 

Near the root was a little wren. I made a stop to 
watch him. He was in a hurry. I thought he would 
tip over. I went in a hurry to help him. Before I 
was come to the root he was gone. And I saw his 
short tail no more. 

When I got to school, teacher was standing there 
in the door. She was looking far-oif looks in the 
way that does lead to the river. I thought maybe 
she was having dream-thoughts. I was just going 
to walk past her, when she turned me about for 
inspection. She felt the outside of my left apron 
pocket, but I did n't bring my pet toad again to 
school this morning. I am not going to risk his life 
again. Next time I am going to bring him to school 
in a pocket in my underskirt. 

Most all day in school to-day I did study from 
the books Angel Mother and Angel Father did 
make for me. I did screwtineyes the spell of words. 
When school was let out, I went in the way that 



THE STORY OF OPAL 73 

does lead to a grove where many chene trees do 
dwell. I so went to get brown leaves. After I did 
have a goodly number of leaves, I did face about 
in the way that does lead to the willow creek. 

When I was come to the log that goes across 
the creek I went halfway across. I went not all 
way across because this is the going-away-day of 
Henry I in 113S, and I did pause to scatter leaves 
upon the waters. I let them fall one by one. And 
they were sixty-seven, for his years were sixty- 
seven. 

Then I went to bugle in the canyon. I did go by 
the pig-pen. I went that way to get Peter Paul 
Rubens. He does so like to go for walks in that 
canyon of the far woods when I go to bugle there. 
And I do so like to have him go. I have thinks the 
trees and the ferns and the singing brook all have 
gladness when Peter Paul Rubens comes a while to 
walk in the woods. He does carry so much joy with 
him everywhere he goes. 

To-day near eventime we did walk our way back 
unto near the cathedral. We made a stop there for 
a short prayer service. First I said Our Father, 
and then I said two short prayers; one was a thank 
prayer, and one was a glad prayer. As always, 
Peter Paul Rubens did grunt Amen at in-between 
times. Then he did go his way to the pig-pen to 
get his supper. And I went aside to see if there 
was any sheeps on the hillside. I saw not one. And 
so I come again to the field. Elizabeth Barrett 



74 THE STORY OF OPAL 

Browning was at the pasture-bars. There was 
lonesome feels in her mooings. I went and put my 
arm around her neck. It is such a comfort to have 
a friend near when lonesome feels do come. 



CHAPTER X 

How Brave Hor alius is Lost and Found again, hut Peter Paul 
Rubens is Lost Forever. 

I HAVE wonders where Is Brave Horatlus. He 
comes not at my calling. Two days he Is now gone. 
For him I go on searches. I go the three roads that 
go the three ways from where they have meeting 
In front of the ranch house. On and on I go. To 
the Orne and Rllle I go. I go adown their ways. I 
call and call. Into the woods beyond the riviere — 
Into the foret de Salnt-Germaln-en-Laye I go. I 
listen. The sounds that were In time of summer are 
not now. Brave Horatlus Is not there. I call and 
call. Then I come back again. I go to the house of 
the girl who has no seeing. I go on. I go across the 
fields of Auvergne and PIcardle. But I have no 
seeing of my Brave Horatlus. 

I come back again. The man that wears gray 
neckties and Is kind to mice — he does keep watch 
by the mill. But these two days he has had no 
seeing of Brave Horatlus. I have wonders where 
can he be. Every time I see the chore boy he does 
sing, "There was a little dog and his name was 
Rover, and when he died, he died all over — and — 
when — he — died — he — died — all — over." 
The last part he does wail in a most long way. I 



^6 THE STORY OF OPAL 

have not listenings to what that chore boys says. 
I go on. I pray on. I look and I look for Brave 
Horatius. I go four straight ways and I come back 
four different ways. When I am come I go back 
and forth by Jardin des Tuileries and across Pont 
Royal and adown the singing creek where the 
willows grow. Lonesome feels are everywhere. I 
call and I do call. And I do go on and on to where 
Rhone flows around Camargue. 

I turn about and I go in the way that does go to 
the foret de Montmorency. I go to the foret de 
Montmorency. No tree here is a chataignier. But 
anyway I do call it foret de Montmorency, and 
often it is I come here; here I come with Brave 
Horatius. I went in through and out through, but 
no answerings did come when I did call. I wonder 
where he is. In the morning of to-day, when I did 
go that way, I did meet with the father of Lola. 
And I did ask if he had seen my Brave Horatius. 
He did have no seeing of him, and he did ask where 
all I was going on searches. I did tell him to Orne 
and Yonne and Rille and to Camargue and Picardie 
and Auvergne and to the foret de Montmorency. 
And when I did so tell him, he did laugh. Most all 
the folks do laugh at the names I do call places here- 
about. They most all do laugh 'cepting Sadie 
McKibben. She smiles and smoothes out my curls 
and says, "Name 'em what ye are a mind to, 
dearie." Sadie McKibben has an understanding 
soul. She keeps watch out of her window for see- 



THE STORY OF OPAL -j^ 

ings of Brave Horatius, and she has promised me 
she will ask everybody that she does see go by her 
house if they have had seeings of Brave Horatius. 

All my friends do feel lonesome feels for Brave 
Horatius. Lars Porsena of Clusium hardly has 
knowing what to do. And Peter Paul Rubens did 
have goings with me three times on searches. And 
when I did have stops to pray, he did grunt Amen. 
And he would like to have goings with me on the 
afternoon of to-day. But the pig-pen fence — it 
was fixed most tight; and I could n't unfix it with 
the hammer, so he might have goings with me. I 
did start on. He did grunt grunts to go. I did feel 
more sad feels. I do so like to have him go with me 
on explores and searches. To-day I did go on, and 
then I did come back to give him more good-bye 
pats on the nose until I was come again. So I did 
four times. I did tell him when Brave Horatius 
was found we would soon come to his pen. 

Then I went on. On I went not far, for the 
mamma did call me to come tend the baby. And I 
came again to the house we live in. When sleeps 
was upon the baby, I lay me down to sleep, for tired 
feels was upon me. Now I feel not so. I have been 
making prints. The mamma is gone with the baby 
to the house of Elsie. I go now again to seek for my 
Brave Horatius. 

A little way I went. A long way I went. When I 
was come part way back again, I climbed upon the 
old gray fence made of rails. I walked adown it to 



78 THE STORY OF OPAL 

the gate-post and there I sat. I sat there until I 
saw the shepherd bringing down the sheep from the 
blue hills. When he was come in sight, I went up 
the road to meet him and all the sheeps. And when 
I was come near unto them, I did have seeing there 
by the shepherd's side did abide my Brave Hora- 
tius. I was happy. I was full of glad feels. Brave 
Horatius showed his glad feels in his tail — and he 
did look fond looks at the flock of sheep. I so did, 
too. And in the flock there was Bede of Jarrow and 
Alfric of Canterbury and Alberic de Briangon and 
Felix of Croyland. And there was Cynewulf and 
Alcuin and Orderic and Gwian and Elidor. And 
in the midst of the flock there was Guy de Cavaillon 
and Raoul de Houdenc and Edwin of Diera and 
Adamnan of lona. I did give to each and every one 
a word of greeting as I did walk among the flock. 
And there were others that I had not yet given 
names to. And last of them all — last of all the 
flock was Dalian Forgalll. 

And when we were come a little way, the shep- 
herd did ask me again what were the names I did 
call his sheep, and I told him all over again. And 
he did say them after me. But the ways he did say 
them were not just the ways I say them — some of 
them. And he did ask me where I did have gettings 
of those names. And I did tell him I did have 
gettings of those names from my two books that 
Angel Mother and Angel Father did write in. 

We went on. Pretty soon I did tell him as how 



\ 

'r, 



THE STORY OF OPAL 79 

it was while he was gone away to the blue hills I 
did choose for him another name. I told him how 
sometimes I did call him by that other name. He 
did have wantings to know what the other name 
was. I did tell him this new name I have for him is 
Aidan of lona come from Lindisfarne. He liked it. 
I told him I did too. We went on. We did have 
talks. When we were come near unto the lane I did 
say, "Good-bye, Aidan of lona come from Lindis- 
farne. I am glad you and the flock are come." He 
gave my curls a smooth back and he said, "Good- 
bye, little one." 

Then Brave Horatius and I went in a hurry in 
the way that does go to the pig-pen. When we were 
gone part ways I looked a look back, and in the 
road there I saw Aidan of lona come from Lindis- 
farne still watching us. Then we went on. And we 
were full of gladness when we did reach the pig-pen, 
for Brave Horatius and Peter Paul Rubens and I 
— we are friends. I did say a long thank prayer 
for that we were together again. And Peter Paul 
Rubens did grunt Amen. 

I am feeling all queer inside. Yesterday was 
butchering day. Among the hogs they butchered 
was Peter Paul Rubens. The mamma let me go off 
to the woods all day, after my morning's work was 
done. Brave Horatius and Lars Porsena of Clusium 
went with me — a part of the time he perched on 
my shoulder, and then he would ride on the back of 



8o THE STORY OF OPAL 

Brave Horatius. Felix Mendelssohn rode in my 
apron pocket and Elizabeth Barrett Browning fol- 
lowed after. 

We had not gone far when we heard an awful 
squeal — so different from the way pigs squeal 
when they want their supper. I felt cold all over. 
Then I did have knowings why the mamma had 
let me start away to the woods without scolding. 
And I ran a quick run to save my dear Peter Paul 
Rubens; but already he was dying — and he died 
with his head in my lap. I sat there feeling dead, 
too, until my knees were all wet with blood from 
the throat of my dear Peter Paul Rubens. After I 
changed my clothes and put the bloody ones in the 
rain-barrel, I did go to the woods to look for the 
soul of Peter Paul Rubens. I did n't find it, but I 
think when comes the spring I will find it among 
the flowers — probably in the blossom of a faon 
lily or in the top of a iir tree. To-day, when Brave 
Horatius and I went through the woods, we did 
feel its presence near. When I was come back 
from the woods, they made me grind sausage, and 
every time I did turn the handle I could hear that 
little pain squeal Peter Paul Rubens always gave 
when he did want me to come where he was at once. 



CHAPTER XI 

How Opal Took the Miller's Brand out of the Flour-Sack, and 
Got Many Sore Feels thereby; and how Sparks Come on 
Cold Nights; and how William Shakespeare Has Likings 
for Poems. 

This day, when I was come home from school, I 
did have much wood to carry in, for cold days are 
come. I did make goes to the wood-shed to get the 
wood. Going to the wood-shed I passed that new 
flour-sack hanging on the clothes-line. It was flap- 
ping in the wind. By and by that flour-sack is 
going to evolute into an underskirt for me to wear 
under my dress when I go to school. I got my arms 
full of wood — as much as they could hold. Then 
I came into the house to put the wood into the box 
behind the stove. 

The mamma was standing by the window. She 
looked worry looks at that new flour-sack hanging 
on the clothes-line there. She said she wished she 
knew a quicker way to get that miller's brand out 
of the flour-sack. She put on her fascinator and 
went a-visiting. She told me to watch the baby 
that was sleeping on the bed. While I was carrying 
in more sticks of wood, I tried to think of a quicker 
way to get that miller's brand out of that flour-sack 
a-flapping there in the window. 

When enough wood was in and two more loads 



82 THE STORY OF OPAL 

besides, I did sit on the wood-box. After I did sit 
still a most long time, thinks did come of a way. I 
got the scissors out. I got them out of the mamma's 
work-basket. The time it did take to cut the mil- 
ler's brand out of the flour-sack, it was only a little 
time. And when it was fixed, I did fold it in nice 
folds with the nice crooks sticking out. The scissors 
did make those crooks in a nice way. Scissors are 
useful. I do find much use for them. But the 
mamma likes not the uses I find for the scissors. 
She does say I am a new sance. I guess a new sance 
is something some grown-up people don't like to 
have around at all. 

I have wonders about things. I have sore feels 
in my heart and sore feels on the back part of me. 
I so want to be helps to the mamma. But it's very 
hard. Why, to-day when I did run to meet her, I 
did say, "It's out. — It's out. — I've got it out." 
And she looked no glad looks. She did only look 
looks about for a hazel bush. First one she saw, 
she did take two limbs of it. All the way to the door 
she made tingles on me with them. I do not think 
she does have knowing how they feel — such queer 
sore feels. I feel she would not like their feels. 

When we were come to the door, she did tell me 
to stay outside. She said I could n't come into her 
house. But I did have knowing where I could go. 
I went to talk with Good King Edward I and lovely 
Eleanor of Castil'e. I did climb onto the lane fence 
and into the arms of lovely Queen Eleanor. I do 



THE STORY OF OPAL 83 

so like to be in her arms when things do trouble me. 
She has understandings. From her arms I did go 
to hunt for the soul of Peter Paul Rubens. Lucian 
Horace Ovid Virgil rode in my left apron pocket 
and Nannerl Mozart rode in my right apron pocket. 
She is a most shy mouse and does keep her nose 
hid. As we did go along, I did gather gray leaves. 
Forty-two gray leaves I did so gather. 

Then we went on. We went on to the near woods. 
I had not findings to-day for the soul of my dear 
Peter Paul Rubens, but I did tell the wind that was 
walking in the woods to tell Peter Paul Rubens I 
was come a-seeking for his soul. Then I did turn 
my face to the way that does lead to the cathedral. 
On the way I met with Elizabeth Barrett Browning 
and Brave Horatius and Isaiah. Together we did 
go to the cathedral. We went unto the little tree 
that I have planted there for rememberings of good 
John Milton, for this day is the day of his horning 
in 1608. We did have prayers. It was so lonesome 
— Peter Paul Rubens not being there to grunt 
Amen at in-between times. Brave Horatius came 
near unto me when prayers were most done. He 
did put his nose against my hand for a pat. I 
gave him two. One was for him and one was for 
Peter Paul Rubens that was. 

Then we all did go in the way that does lead to 
the singing creek where the willows grow. When 
we were come, all that were with me did stand very 
close by. They so did stand while I did drop the 



84 THE STORY OF OPAL 

gray leaves upon the water. All the forty-two 
leaves I did gather I did drop upon the water, for 
this is the day of the going-away of Antoine Van 
Dyck in 1641. And his years they were forty- two. 
When the leaves were all upon the water I did say 
a little prayer, and we came home. It was most 
dark-time and the lamp on the kitchen table did 
shine its light out the window. And it came down 
the path to meet us. 

There were pictures on the window-panes when 
I woke up this morning. By-and-by the fire in the 
stove made the room warm, and the pictures on 
the window-panes went away. I was sorry when 
they went away. I so did like to look looks at 
them. 

When I did have my breakfast, the mamma did 
send me to take a bucket of something with eggs 
on top it to the ranch-house. The outdoors did 
have coldness. It did make my fingers to have 
queer feels. And my nose felt like I did n't have 
any. Brave Horatius followed after me as I did go 
along. As I did go along, I did see ice on the mud- 
puddles. Every now and then I did stop to break 
the ice on the mud-puddles. I broke the ice to see 
what was in the water. Under the ice that was 
over the cow-tracks there was no water — only 
dirt, cold and stifi", with little crystals on it. 

When I was come to the ranch-house, the grand- 
ma did come to the door, and she took the bucket 



THE STORY OF OPAL 85 

of something with eggs on top it, that the mamma 
did send to her. I started on to school. I did go as 
far as the pump. I made a stop there. I was going 
to give its handle some lift-ups and some pull- 
downs, so water would come out. I have likes to see 
water come out of that pump. But to-day water 
won't come out of the pump. The pump-handle 
won't go up and down. The grandpa said it froze 
in the night. I think it has got the croup. I expect 
it needs some coal-oil. I have thinks I must tend to 
that pump to-night. 

All day here at school I now do study. For little 
bits of times I do study my school-book. But most 
of the time I do study the books Angel Father and 
Angel Mother did write in. I do study these most 
every day at school. I do study the spell of the 
words. And after times and before times I do sing 
the spelling of the words to the gentle Jersey cow 
while I do ride her to pasture. And I sit in the 
manger at evening-time and sing the spellings of 
these words to William Shakespeare when he is 
come home from work in the woods. I have thinks 
most of my animal friends do have knowings of the 
spellings of these words. It so often is I do sing 
the spellings of these words to them. 

When I did come home from school to-night, I 
did make a stop at that pump to see how much coal- 
oil it did need for its croup. But it had no needs to 
be tended. The croup that it did have on this 
morning was all gone. When I did give its handle 



86 THE STORY OF OPAL 

some lift-ups and some push-downs, water did come 
out. I watched it. It stopped coming out when I 
did stop giving it Hft-ups and push-downs. I went 
on. I saw the black cat by the barn. On cold nights 
I have given that cat long rubs on its back, and 
sparks have come. I did have thinks about sparky- 
things as I did come on home. Now I have know- 
ings of these. Cats are sparky — black ones on a 
cold night. Stoves are sparky on cold days. Rocks 
are sparky — flint ones when you give them a 
thump. The chore boy says some people are 
sparky. He does n't know what he is talking about. 
When I was come into the house we live in, I 
gave the baby a gentle thump. It squawked, but 
there were no sparks. Then the mamma came in 
the back door. She had not knows why it squawked, 
but she did tell me to mind it. I so did. The 
mamma went out again to the house of Elsie. When 
she was gone, I did sing to the baby a new song I did 
make up to-day. Most every day I do make up a 
song. I sing them not when the mamma is in the 
house, for she does give me most hard spankings 
when I do start to sing them. To-day I did teeter 
the baby on the bed as she said. And more I did. 
I did sing to her the new song. I did sing to her, — 

" Maintenant est hiver, 
Le ciel est gris, 
Le champ est tranquille, 
Les fleurs dorment, 
Maintenant est hiver." 



THE STORY OF OPAL 87 

Then she did kick many kicks in the air. I did 
tickle her toes. She Hkes to have her toes tickled. 
She has likes for it. This baby has likes for many 
things. She has likes to sit up on the bed. The 
mamma has me to prop it up so it won't fall over. 
And this baby — it has likes to make bubbles with 
its mouth and to stick its foot in its mouth. It 
does like to rattle all the rattles the grandma and 
Jenny Strong and Elsie bring to it. It does have 
such likes to be rocked. And most of the times 
when it is awake, it does want to be singed to and 
carried about. It is a baby what has satisfaction 
looks on its face for a little time when it gets what 
it wants. It only has those satisfaction looks a 
little time. Soon it does have some more wants, 
and it wants to have what it wants. The mamma 
does have me to rock it and rock it and teeter it on 
the bed and walk the floor with it. Sometimes it 
does get most heavy. Then I do let my knees bend 
under and I do sit on the floor and rock it back and 
forth. The mamma, she does have much likes for 
It to have what it wants. 

I am joy all over. I have found in the near woods 
a plant that has berries like the berries symphorine 
has. And its leaves are like the leaves symphorine 
has. I have had seeings of it before, and every time 
I do meet with this new old plant, I do say, " I have 
happy feels to see you, Symphorine." And when 
the wind comes walking in the near woods, the 



88 THE STORY OF OPAL 

little leaves of symphorine do whisper little whis- 
pers. I have thinks they are telling me they were 
come here before I was come here. I make a stop 
to have more listens. They do whisper, " See, petite 
Frangoise, we were a long time come." I can see 
they were, too, because their toes have grown quite 
a ways down in the ground. 

To-day, as I did walk a walk to where they grow, 
I did tell them about the day that it is. I told them 
all about this being the borning day of Jeanne 
d'Albret, mere de Henri IV, in 1528. I told the 
year-numbers on my fingers. I had thinks they 
might have remembers better if I so told them on 
my fingers. I do have remembers of numbers 
better when I do tell them on my fingers. Brave 
Horatius did stand by and listen while I so told 
them. We went on. 

I tied bits of bread on the tips of the branches of 
the trees. Too, I tied on popcorn kernels. They 
looked like snow-flowers blooming there on fir 
trees. I looked looks back at them. I have knows 
the birds will be glad for them. Often I do bring 
them here for them. When I do have hungry feels 
I feel the hungry feels the birds must be having. 
So I do have comes to tie things on the trees for 
them. Some have likes for different things. Little 
gray one of the black cap has likes for suet. And 
other folks has likes for other things. 

There is a little box in the woods that I do keep 
things for the pheasants and grouses and squirrels 



THE STORY OF OPAL 89 

and more little birds and wood-mouses and wood- 
rats. In fall-time days Peter Paul Rubens did come 
here with me when I did bring seeds and nuts to 
this box for days of hiver. When we were come to 
the box, I did have more thinks of him. I think the 
soul of Peter Paul Rubens is not afar. I think it is 
in the forest. I go looking for it. I climb up in the 
trees. I call and call. And then when I find it not, 
I do print a message on a leaf, and I,tie it onto the 
highest limb I can reach. And I leave it there with 
a little prayer for Peter Paul Rubens. I do miss 
him so. 

To-day, after I so did leave a message on a leaf 
away up in a tree for him, I did have going in along 
the lane and out across the field and down the road 
beyond the meeting of the roads. There was gray- 
ness everywhere — gray clouds in the sky and gray 
shadows above and in the canyon. And all the 
voices that did speak — they were gray tones. 
" Petite Frangoise, c'est jour gris." And all the little 
lichens I did see along the way did seem a very 
part of all the grayness. And Felix Mendelssohn 
in my apron pocket — he was a part of the grayness, 
too. And as I did go adown the road, I did meet 
with a gray horse — and his grayness was like the 
grayness of William Shakespeare. Then I did turn 
about. I did turn my face to the near woods where 
is William Shakespeare. 

When Rob Ryder is n't looking, I give to William 
Shakespeare pieces of apple and I pull grass for him. 



90 THE STORY OF OPAL 

He so likes a nice bit to eat after he does pull a long 
pull on the logs. And while I do feed him bits of 
apple and bits of grass, I do tell him poems. Wil- 
liam Shakespeare has likes for poems. And some- 
times I do walk along by him when he is pulling in 
logs and I do tell the poems to him while he pulls. 
And I give his head rubs when he is tired, and his 
back too. And on some Sundays when he is in the 
pasture I go there to talk with him. He comes to 
meet me. William Shakespeare and I — we are 
friends. His soul is very beautiful. The man that 
wears gray neckties and is kind to mice says he is a 
dear old horse. 



CHAPTER XII 

Of Elsie's Brand-New Baby, and all the Things that Go with 
it; and the Goodly Wisdom of the Angels who Bring Folks 
Babies that Are like them. 

Elsie has a brand-new baby and all the things 
that go with it. There's a pink fie ur on its baby 
brush and a pink bow on its cradle-quilt. The 
angels brought the baby just last night in the night. 
I have been to see it a goodly number of times — 
most everything I did start to do, I went aside 
before I did get through doing it to take peeps at 
the darling baby. I so did when I was sent to feed 
the chickens, and when I went to carry in the wood, 
and when I went to visit Aphrodite, and when I 
went to take eggs to the folks that live yonder, and 
when I went to get some soap at the ranch-house, 
and when I went to take a sugar-lump to William 
Shakespeare, and when I went to take food to the 
folks in the hospital, and when I went to the ranch- 
house to get the milk. And in the between times I 
did go in the way that does lead to the house of 
Elsie. 

The baby — it is a beautiful baby — though it 
does have much redness of face from coming such 
a long way in the cold last night. Maybe it was 
the coldness of the night that did cause the angels 
to make the mistake. They stopped at the wrong 



92 THE STORY OF OPAL 

house. I 'm quite sure this is the very baby I have 
been praying for the angels to bring to the new 
young folks that do live by the mill by the far 
woods. Dear Love, her young husband does call 
her. And they are so happy. But they have been 
married seven whole months and have n't got a 
baby yet. Twice every day for a time long I have 
been praying prayers for the angels to bring them 
one real soon. And most all day to-day I did feel 
I better tell Elsie as how this baby is n't her baby, 
before she does get too fond of it. She so likes to 
cuddle it now. Both morning and afternoon I did 
put off going to tell her about it. I did wait most 
until eventime. Then I could n't keep still any 
longer. I felt I would just have to speak to her 
about it at once. 

I did have knowings that Mrs. Limberger, that 
was staying with Elsie until the other woman was 
come back, would n't let me come in the door to 
see the baby again because she has opinions that 
nineteen times is fully enough to be a-coming to 
see a baby on the first day of its life on earth. So I 
went and got a wood-box off the back porch, and 
I did go around to the bedroom window. I did get 
on top the wood-box and I made tappings on the 
window-pane. Elsie did have hearings. She did 
turn her head on the pillow. And she gave nods for 
me to come in. I pushed the window a push enough 
so I could squeeze in. Then I sidled over to the bed. 

Elsie did look so happy with the baby. I did 



THE STORY OF OPAL 93 

swallow a lump In my throat. She looked kind 
smiles at me. I did not like to bring disturbs to her 
calm. I just stood there making pleats in my blue 
calico apron. I did have thinks of Dear Love and 
the house without a baby by the mill by the far 
woods. Then I felt I could n't wait any longer. I 
just said, "I know you are going to have a disap- 
point, Elsie, but I have got to tell you — this baby 
is n't yours. It's a mistake. It really belongs to 
Dear Love in that most new, most little house by 
the mill by the far woods. It's the one I've been 
praying the Angels to bring to her." 

Just when I was all out of breath from telling 
her, there did come the heavy step of Mrs. Lim- 
berger's approaches. Elsie did say in a gentle way, 
" Come to me early in the morning and we will talk 
the matter over." Then I did go out the window. 

From the house of Elsie I did go to talk with 
Michael Angelo Sanzio Raphael. He does so 
understand. All troubles that do trouble me, I do 
talk them over with him. While I was telling him 
all about how the angels did make a mistake and 
did bring Dear Love's baby to the house of Elsie, 
I did hear a little voice. It was a baby voice. It 
did come from the barn. I went in to see. It was n't 
in the haystack. It seemed to come from a way 
below. I slid down to the manger of the gentle 
Jersey cow. I thought she was in the pasture, but 
there she was In the barn. And with her was a dear 
new baby calf. When I did ask the ranch folks 



94 THE STORY OF OPAL 

when it was brought, they did say it was brought 
in the night last night. I have thinks the same 
angel that did bring the new baby to the house of 
Elsie did bring also in her other arm that baby calf 
to the gentle Jersey cow. To-night I will pick it out 
a name from the books Angel Mother and Angel 
Father did write in. Early in the morning I will 
go again to the house of Elsie. 

Early on the morning of to-day I did go in the 
way that does lead to the house of Elsie. I did rap 
gentle raps on the door, and the young husband of 
Elsie did come to raise the latch. When the door 
did come open, I did have seeing that his black 
pumpadoor did seem to shine more than most 
times, and all the vaseline was gone from the jar 
that sets on the kitchen shelf. I did tell him how 
Elsie did say for me to come early in this morning. 
And before he did have time for answers, Elsie did 
have hearing in the other room. She did call. She 
did call me to come in. 

In I went. The baby it was beside her. It was 
all wrapped in a blanket so it could n't even have 
seeings out the window how the raindrops was 
coming down so fast. The young husband of Elsie 
did look fond looks at that blanket. I did begin to 
have fears he did have thinks it was his baby. 
Elsie did unwrap the blanket from its red face. 
It's just as red as it was yesterday, though the 
rain coming makes the weather more warm. Elsie 



THE STORY OF OPAL 95 

did say, "See its long hair." And I did have seeing. 
It was n't long though, not more than an inch. It 
was most black. And its eyes — they were dark. 
It did have prefers to keep them shut. When I 
did see them, Elsie did say, "Now about what we 
were talking about yesterday — next time you go 
to the house of Dear Love, have seeing of the color 
of her eyes and hair and also of her husband's. 
I hardly think this baby's hair and eyes are like 
theirs. And maybe.it is where it does belong." "I 
feel sure about that," said her young husband. But 
I had not feels so. 

Just then the mamma did holler for me to come 
home to bring wood in. I so come. Now she does 
have me mind the baby. I do print. 

When sleeps was come upon the mamma's baby, 
I straightway did go in a hurry to the house of 
Dear Love by the mill by the far woods. All the 
way along the raindrops were coming in a hurry 
down. Many of them did say, "Petite Frangoise 
too. I wonder, I wonder." When I was come to 
the house of Dear Love, she was there and he was 
there. Her eyes were light blue, and her hair, it was 
very light. Most cream hair she has got. And her 
husband that does call her Dear Love — his eyes 
they are blue, and he has red hair. I saw. And I 
was going right back because I did feel sad feels. 
Dear Love, she did lead me back into her house and 
did have me to sit on a chair. I sat on its corner. 
And I felt lumps come up in my throat. She did 



96 THE STORY OF OPAL 

take off my fascinator, and she did take oif my 
shoes so my feet would get dry. 

Then she did take me on her lap and she did ask 
me what was the matter. And I just did tell her all 
about it — all about how I had been praying for 
the angels to bring a baby real soon to them — and 
how sad feels I did feel because they did n't have 
a baby yet. Her husband did smile a quiet smile at 
her, and roses did come on her cheeks. And I did 
have thinks that they did have thinks that this 
baby the angels did bring to the house of Elsie was 
their baby. Then I did give them careful explana- 
tions as how I too did have thinks it was their 
baby the angels did bring to the house of Elsie, that 
I did pray for them to have real soon. And as how 
I did have thinks so yesterday and last night and 
right up until now, when I did come to their house 
and have seeings of their blue eyes and his having 
red hair. I did tell them as how this baby could n't 
be theirs, because it has most dark hair and dark 
eyes — like the eyes and the hair of the young 
husband of Elsie. 

Angels do have a big amount of goodly wisdom. 
They do bring to folks babies that are like them. 
To mother sheeps they do bring lambs. To mother 
horse they do bring a poulain. To mother bats they 
bring twin bats. To a mother mouse they do bring 
a baby mulot and some more like it — all at the 
same time. To mere daine they do bring a baby 
faon. To the gentle Jersey cow they did bring a 



THE STORY OF OPAL 97 

baby calf, with creamness and brownness upon It 
like the creamness and brownness that is upon 
the gentle Jersey cow. Angels do have a goodly 
amount of wisdom. They do bring to folks babies 
that do match them. And after I did tell them that, 
I did have telling them as how, being as this baby 
did n't have eyes and hair to match theirs, it 
could n't be their baby. But I did tell them not to 
have disappoints too bad, because I am going to 
pray on — and maybe she will get a baby next 
week. 

When I did say that, her young husband did 
walk over to the window and look long looks out. 
I have thinks he was having wonders if two or 
three angels would be coming with the angel that 
will be bringing their baby, and if the cradle-quilt 
they bring with it will have a blue bow or a pink 
bow on it and if its baby brush will have blue fleurs 
or pink fleurs on it. I have wonders. I think blue 
fleurs on its baby brush and a blue bow on its 
cradle-quilt will look nicer with red hair than pink 
fleurs and a pink bow. I have thinks I better put 
that in my prayers. 

By-and-by, when my feets were dry, they did 
put my shoes on and they laced them up. They 
did n't miss a string-hole like I do sometimes when 
I am in a hurry to get them tied up. Then, when 
they did have them tied up, they did want me to 
stay to dinner; but I did have feels I must hurry 
back to the house of Elsie and tell her that the baby 



98 THE STORY OF OPAL 

was hers. She might be having anxious feels about 
it. When I did say good-bye they did give me two 
apples — one for William Shakespeare and one for 
Elizabeth Barrett Browning. And they did give me 
some cheese for Thomas Chatterton Jupiter Zeus 
and corn for Lars Porsena of Clusium. And they 
came a long way with me. 

Then I did go on in hurry steps to the house of 
Elsie. As quick as her young husband did open 
the door, I did walk right in, for I did have thinks 
maybe she did have some very anxious feels while 
I was gone. She smiled glad smiles when I told her 
it was hers. It must have been an immense amount 
of relief — her now knowing it really was her own 
baby. And when I did turn around to tell her young 
husband it was theirs, her young husband, he just 
said, "I knew it was mine." And he looked more 
fond looks at the blanket it was wrapped in. I have 
feels now it is nice for them to have it; and it is 
good that they will not have needs to give it up — 
being as it matches them. Angels do have a goodly 
amount of wisdom. This is a wonderful world to 
live in. 

When I did say good-bye to Elsie and the charm- 
ante baby, I did go to the barn where is the gentle 
Jersey cow and the baby calf that does match her. 
That baby calf I have named Mathilde Plantage- 
net. I have named her so for Mathilde that was 
daughter of Roi Henri I and Mathilde that was 
daughter of Sainte Marguerite that was reine 



THE STORY OF OPAL 99 

d'Ecosse. Mathilde Plantagenet is her name be- 
cause the name of the man Mathilde did marry, 
it was Geoffroi Plantagenet. And too in days of 
summer the genet fleur grows near unto here. I 
have had seeings of them by waters that flow by 
the mill town. And when their bloom time is come, 
I will make for Mathilde Plantagenet a guirlande 
of les fleurs de genet. And we will go walking down 
the lane. 



CHAPTER XIII 

How Felix Mendelssohn and Lucian Horace Ovid Virgil Go 
for a Ride; William Shakespeare Suffers One Whipping 
and Opal Another . 

On the way home from school to-night I did 
meet with Sadie McKibben, and it was very nice to 
see her freckles. And she wore her blue gingham 
apron with cross stitches on it. First when we were 
met she did kiss me on each cheek. Then she was 
going to shake hands with me, but I could not 
shake hands with her with my right hand because 
Louis II, le Grande Conde, was asleep in my sleeve. 
I had fears shaking hands with my right hand 
would disturb his calm. So I gave explanations. 
And Sadie McKibben did have understanding. She 
gave me a kiss on my nose and smoothed back my 
curls and shook hands with my left hand. 

When she so did, Felix Mendelssohn did poke 
his nose out the cuff. He made a quick run up my 
arm and settled down on my shoulder. He is a very 
quick-moving mouse. Sadie McKibben did see the 
movement his moving did make on my sleeve. She 
asked me if that was all my friends I did take to 
school to-day. Then I lifted up my apron and I 
did show her Lucian Horace Ovid Virgil. He was 
riding in a pocket in my underskirt. She did have 
wantings to know why it was that I was not carry- 



THE STORY OF OPAL loi 

ing him in my apron pocket as I use to do. I told 
her I did not so now, for teacher does feel of my 
apron pockets when I do come into school in the 
morning; so I carry my friends in my sleeves and in 
pockets in my underskirt. 

Sadie McKibben did have understanding. And 
she did say she thought she would have to be 
getting me a little basket to carry them in. She 
said she was going to speak to the man that wears 
gray neckties and is kind to mice about the matter. 
I have thinks to be carried in a warm basket will 
please the souls of Louis II, le Grand Conde, and 
Felix Mendelssohn and Lucian Horace Ovid Virgil 
and all the little folk that do go walking with me. 
It will be almost as nice as to ride in the pockets of 
the papa's big coat. I have thinks I will have needs 
to put pockets in that basket and divides so there in 
it will be little rooms, little rooms for all the folks of 
the nursery. I will let them have their turns riding 
to school in the basket. And there is enough room 
in my seat so that basket can set right beside me. 
I can hardly wait waits until I do have that basket. 

When Sadie McKibben did kiss me good-bye, she 
gave me a sugar-lump for William Shakespeare and 
a piece of cheese for Thomas Chatterton Jupiter 
Zeus and a bone for Brave Horatius and ten corn- 
seeds for Lars Porsena of Clusium. She does have 
knowings of the likings of my friends. Then she 
went her way, and I did come my way home to the 
house we live in. 



102 THE STORY OF OPAL 

When I was come, first I did feed the chickens. 
And then I did go to carry in the wood. It was 
while I was carrying in wood that Rob Ryder came 
to borrow a hammer. I have n't been near unto 
where he has been since I did bite his hand the 
other day. And to-day the mamma tried to make 
me say to that Rob Ryder how sorry I was because 
I bit him on the hand. But I was n't a bit sorry. 
And I would n't say I was sorry. And if I got a 
chance I'd bite him again for his laying that big 
whip to the back of William Shakespeare when he 
does n't pull logs fast enough. I know my William 
Shakespeare and I know how hard he pulls to pull 
those logs. To pull those logs he does his very best. 

And when he was gone away the mamma did 
spank me most hard with the hair-brush. Then she 
put me out the door. And I did go from the house 
we do live in to where do dwell King Edward III 
and Queen Philippa of Hainault. They are grand 
trees. We are friends. Often it is I go to where 
they dwell when the mamma does put me out of 
the house. To-day I did stay long with them and 
I did talk long with them. Mostly it was about the 
lovely England when they were there, we did have 
talks about to-day. And the wind was talking too. 
I think the wind does have knowing of this being 
their wedding day in 1328. As he did come near 
unto where they dwell, he did walk among the 
willows by the singing creek. And I did climb down 
from the arms of Queen Philippa of Hainault and 



THE STORY OF OPAL 103 

go to gather water-cress for the mamma. She does 
have such a fondness for it. 

Then I did say good-bye, and I did say good-bye 
to all those twelve trees growing near unto them. 
And all those twelve trees that do grow near unto 
King Edward III and Queen Philippa of Hainault 
— those twelve trees are their twelve children. 
The tree most near unto Edward III, that is 
Edward Prince of Wales; and the one next unto 
him is Lionel Duke of Clarence; and the one most 
near unto him, that is John of Gaunt, Duke of 
Lancaster. The time was when there were only 
ten trees growing there, and I did have needs to 
plant two more. Two little ones I did plant, and 
one is for baby Blanche and one is for baby William, 
the other one. 



CHAPTER XIV 

How Opal Feels Satisfaction Feels, and Takes a Ride on 
William Shakespeare; and all that Came of it. 

After I did dish-towel all the dishes that we did 
use In the breakfast meal, the mamma did send me 
to get barks for the warming stove. While I was 
getting barks I did stop to screwtineyes the plump 
wiggles that were In and under all the barks. Those 
plump wiggles will grow and change. They will 
grow and change into beetles. I have seen them do 
so. I have taken them from the bark and they did 
so grow into beetles — after some long time. In 
the nursery I kept them while they did so change. 

After the barks was in I did go my way to school. 
I went aside to Saint Firmin by Nonette. I made 
a stop where the willows grow. I love to touch 
fingers with the willows. Then I do feel the feels 
the willows feel. I did tell them all and every one 
about this being the going-away day of Charle- 
magne In 814 and the borning day of Henry VII In 
1457. Each pussy-willow baby did wear a gray silk 
tricot. He did look warm. He smiled, "Bonjour, 
petite Frangolse," in a friendly way. I think he 
does remember the days in summer when I did 
drink In inspirations dabbling my toes by his toes 
there In the singing brook. 

When I did have talks with them for a little 



THE STORY OF OPAL 105 

time, I did go on. And all along I stopped very 
often on the way to talk to the other pussy-willows. 
I was quite late to school. Teacher made me stand 
in the corner to get my lesson with my face to the 
wall. I did n't mind that at all. There was a win- 
dow in that part of the wall. It was near the corner. 
I looked looks at my book sometimes. Most of the 
times I looked looks out the window. I had seeing 
of little plant folks just peeping out of the earth to 
see what they could see. I did have thinks it would 
be nice to be one of them, and then grow up and 
have a flower and bees a-coming and seed-children 
at fall-time. I have thinks this is a very interest 
world to live in. There is so much to see out the 
window when teacher does have one to stand in the 
corner to study one's lesson. 

When teacher did send me to my seat to get my 
slate for arithmetic, I did put Lucian Horace Ovid 
Virgil in my desk by my Cyr's Reader. I keep my 
books in one little corner of my desk, and that does 
leave a lot of room for my animal friends. There 
was room enough for Lucian Horace Ovid Virgil to 
take little nice hops. But while I was having recites 
with arithmetic, he hopped a little hop too far and 
he fell out of my desk. I had quivers, and it was 
hard to pay attentions to arithmetic. When our 
lessons were done I made a quick go to my seat. I 
looked a look under for him. He was not there. I 
looked more looks about. He was rows away over 
by the seat-row where Lola has her sitting. I did 



io6 THE STORY OF OPAL 

almost sit sideways in my seat, I had such anxious 
feels about him. 

Lola had seeing. She made a reach over. She 
picked him up in a gentle way. She put him in her 
apron pocket. She made a begin to study her 
geography. She asked teacher if she might get a 
drink from the dipper in the wrap-room. She went. 
She made a come-back from the wrap-room down 
our row, going to her geography class. When she 
went by my desk, she put her hand in my pocket. 
She went on to the recite bench. Lucian Horace 
Ovid Virgil was back again in my apron pocket. I 
felt an immense amount of satisfaction feels. 

Some days there is cream to be shaked into but- 
ter. The mamma does have me to make a handle 
go up and down a lot of times in the churn. This 
makes the butter come. When there is only a little 
cream to be shaked into butter, then the mamma 
has me to shake it to and fro in a glass jar. Some- 
times it gets awfully heavy and my arms do get 
ache feels up and down. There are most ache feels 
when the butter is a long time in coming. It so was 
to-day. I gave it many shakes, and I was having 
hopes it soon would be come. After some long time, 
when it was most come, the lid came off and It all 
shaked out. Then the mamma did have cross feels 
and the spanks she gave made me to have sore 
feels on the back part of me. I was making tries to 
be helps to her. That butter was almost come. 



THE STORY OF OPAL 107 

After I did give the floor washes and mops up 
where the splashes of buttermilk did jump, then 
the mamma put me out the door and told me to 
get out and stay out of her way. I so did. I went 
out across the field and in along the lane. Lars 
Porsena of Clusium had going with me. I looked 
looks away to the meeting of the roads. There was 
a horse come near unto it. A man was riding on 
this horse. I like to ride upon a horse. I like to 
stand up when I ride upon a horse. It is so much 
joy. I feel the feels the horse does feel when he puts 
each foot to the ground. 

When I did see that horse go on and on, then I 
did have feels it would be nice to go a long way on 
explores. I did have thinks William Shakespeare 
had wants to go. He was in the lane. I gave him 
pats on the nose and I talked with him about it. 
We did start on. When we were come to the end of 
the lane there was the gate. It did take some long 
time to get it open. The plug did stick so tight and 
more yet. I did pull and I made more pulls. It 
came out. It did come out in a quick way. I did 
have a quick set-down. I got up in a slow way. I 
did show William Shakespeare the way to go out 
the gate. He went, I went. We went adown the 
road. A little way we went and we were come to a 
stump. I made a climb upon it. From the stump I 
did climb upon the back of William Shakespeare. 

We went on. When we were come to the meeting 
of the roads, we went the way of the road that goes 



io8 THE STORY OF OPAL 

to the upper camps. We made no stops until we 
were come to where a long time ago the road had a 
longing to go across the riviere, and some men that 
had understanding made it a bridge to go across on. 
When we were come to the bridge, we made a stop 
and I did sing to the riviere a song. I sang it Le 
chant de Seine, de Havre, et Essonne et Nonette et 
Roullon et Iton et Darnetal et Ourcq et Rille et 
Loing et Eure et Audelle et Nonette et Sarc. I sang 
it as Angel Father did teach me to, and as he has 
wrote it in the book. 

And after I did sing it all, we did watch the 
water splash itself against the legs of the bridge. 
The water goes not now slow as it did in summer 
days. We went on. And the boards of the bridge 
did make squeaks as we went across. And they 
said in their squeaks, "Petite Frangoise, we have 
been waiting a long time for you to go across the 
riviere." And I did have William Shakespeare to 
make a little stop so I could tell the boards I have 
been waiting waits a long time to go across. While 
I so was doing, they did not squeak. When we 
made a start to go on, they did squeak. 

After we were across the riviere we went in a 
more slow way. There was so many things to see.- 
Trees and trees were all along the way. There were 
more ranch-houses. I did have seeing of them set 
always back from the road, and smoke did come in 
curls from out their chimneys. At a bend in the 
road there was a big chene tree — it was a very big 



THE STORY OF OPAL 109 

one. On its arms there was bunches of mistletoe. I 
made a stop to have looks at them. I had thinks I 
might reach up to them. I stood on tiptoe on the 
back of William Shakespeare. I could reach a reach 
to one limb. I put my arms around it and had a 
swing. It was very nice to swing one forward and 
two back again. 

But when I was ready to stand on William 
Shakespeare again, he was not there. I looked a 
look down and about. He was gone on a little way. 
I had wonders what to do. There was most too 
many rocks to drop down on. Lars Porsena came 
and perched on the limb above. I did call William 
Shakespeare four times, and in between I called 
him by the bird-call that does mican I have needs of 
him. He did come and he made a stop under the 
limb. I was most glad. My arms did have a queer 
feel from hanging there. I was real glad just to sit 
quiet on the back of William Shakespeare while he 
did walk on. And Lars Porsena of Clusium did sit 
behind me. 

We went on. We had seeing of the section men 
working on the railroad track where the dinky 
engine goes with the cars of lumbers to the mill 
town. They were making stoop-overs. I had seeing 
they did screwtineyes the rails and the ties they 
stay upon. The men did wave their hands to us, 
and I did wave back, and on the fence there was a 
bird with a yellow and a little black moon across 
his front. His back — it was like the grasses of the 



no THE STORY OF OPAL 

field grown old. And his song Is the song of all the 
voices of the field. We have seeing of him and his 
brothers all days of the year. 

After we had going past the next turn in the road 
I did look a look back. A little bush with some 
tallness was yet a-nodding. It was asking a ques- 
tion. I gave William Shakespeare two pats on the 
shoulder. That means turn about. He did. When 
we were come to the bush a-nodding, I leaned over 
to the tallness of it. I put my ear close so I could 
have hearing. It had wants to know what day this 
was. I did tell it this day was the going-away day 
of John of Gaunt and the borning day of Felix 
Mendelssohn in 1809. It had hearings, but it did 
not stop nodding. But it was asking no questions. 
It was nodding nods of the day this is. I felt the 
satisfaction feels it did feel when it did know the 
answer to its question. I do too have likes to ask 
questions about things so to have knows. 

We went on in a slow way. I did look looks about. 
And there were birds — robins and two bluebirds 
and more larks of the meadow and other crows 
like unto Lars Porsena of Clusium. When we was 
come to another bend in the road, William Shake- 
speare made a stop. I made a slide off. I went to 
pick him some grass. A wagon went by. Two 
horses were in front of it, and on its high seat was a 
man with his hat on sideways and a woman with 
a big fascinator most hiding her face. There was 
seven children in the wagon — two with sleeps upon 



THE STORY OF OPAL iii 

them and a little girl with a tam-o'-shanter and a 
frown and a cape on her. I have thinks from the 
looks on their faces they all did have wants to get 
soon to where they were going to. I brought the 
grass back to the road to William Shakespeare. I 
smiled a smile and waved to the last little girl of all 
on the wagon. She smiled and waved her hand. 
Then three more of them waved. I waved some 
more. The wagon had its going on, and William 
Shakespeare had begins to nibble at the grass I was 
holding in my fingers. While he did nibble nibbles 
I did tell him poems. William Shakespeare does 
have such a fondness for poetry and nibbles of 
grass and apples and sugar-lumps. 

While we did have waiting at the bend of the 
road, I saw a maple tree with begins of buds upon 
it. I did walk up to the tree. I put my ear to it to 
have listens to the sap going up. It is a sound I like 
to hear. There is so much of springtime in it. While 
I did listen, in the other ear that was not to the 
maple tree I did have hearings of the talklngs of the 
wind and petite plants just having begins to grow 
out of the earth. The wind did say, ''Je viens — ■ 
je viens." The plants did answer make, "Nous 
entendons — nous entendons." So they did speak. 
Then the wind did say, "Le printemps viendra 
bientot." And the plants did answer make, "Nous 
fleurirons bientot." 

I did have glad feels. William Shakespeare 
moved a little move. I had some doubts if he did 



112 THE STORY OF OPAL 

hear all plainly they did say, so I went up to his 
nose and said it all over to him. He had under- 
standing. We went on. When we were come again 
to a stump, I did climb again upon his back. We 
went by a big mill with piles of lumber to its near 
side, and a long wide roof it had. There was a row 
of lumber-shanties and some more. There was 
children about and dogs. They did smile and wave 
and I did too. We went on. More fir trees of great 
tallness was on either side the road. They did 
stretch out their great arms to welcome to us. I 
so do love trees. I have thinks I was once a tree 
growing in the forest; now all trees are my brothers. 

When we were gone a little way on from the very 
tall trees, in the sky the light of day was going from 
blue to silver. And thoughts had coming down the 
road to meet us. They were thoughts from out 
the mountains where are the mines. They were 
thoughts from the canyons that come down to 
meet the road by the riviere. I did feel their com- 
ing close about us. Very near they were and all 
about. We went on a little way only. We went 
very slow. We had listens to the thoughts. They 
were thoughts of blooming-time and coming-time. 
They were the soul thoughts of little things that 
soon will have their borning-time. 

When we did go on we did hear little sounds 
coming from a long way down the road. They were 
like the shoe on the foot of a horse making touches 
on the road in a hurry way. The sound, it came 



THE STORY OF OPAL 113 

more near. We made a stop to have a listen. It was 
coming more near gray-light-time and we could not 
have plain sees until the horse was come more near 
a way down the road. Then we had sees a man was 
riding on the horse. They came on in the quick 
way that made the little fast patter sounds on the 
ground. When he was most come to where we were, 
the man did have the horse to go in a more slow 
way. When he was come to where we were he did 
have the horse to stop. The man upon the horse 
was the man that wears gray neckties and is kind 
to mice. He did seem most glad that we were on 
the road he was on. He did breathe some satisfac- 
tion breathes just like Sadie McKibben does when 
she finds I have n't broken my bones when I fall out 
of a tree. Then he made begins. He said, "The 
fairies—" And I said, "What.?" He said, "The 
fairies have left a note on a leaf in the moss-box 
by the old log. It was a note for me to go until I find 
you and William Shakespeare — to bring you home 
again before starlight-time." 

There was a little fern-plant with the note on the 
leaf. He gave them to me. And we came our way 
home. Now I have thinks it was God in his good- 
ness did send the fairies to leave that fern-note on 
the leaf. And William Shakespeare and I were glad 
he was come to meet us, for the stars were not and 
dark was before we were come home. But the 
man that wears gray neckties and is kind to mice, 
he did have knows of the way of the road by night. 



CHAPTER XV 

Of Jenny Strong's Visit, its Gladness and its Sadness. 

Jenny Strong is come to visit us. She came in 
the morning of to-day. She came on the logging 
train. She brought her bags with her. The mamma 
did send me to meet her at the meeting of the roads. 
The bags, they were heavy to carry, and my arms 
got some tired. As we did go along, in-between 
times I did look looks at Jenny Strong. There is so 
much of interest about her. The gray curls about 
her face did have the proper look she wants them 
to have. To get that proper look she does them up 
on curl-papers. I have seen her so do when she was 
come to visit us before. And this morning her 
plump cheeks were roses. And all her plumpness 
did most fill the gray dresses she was wearing. 
Jenny Strong has little ruffles around the neck of 
that dress, like the little ruffles that was around the 
neck of the man with the glove when Titian made 
his picture. Those ruffles on the neck of the gray 
dress of Jenny Strong did look like it was their joy 
to cuddle up against the back of her black bonnet. 

That black bonnet has a pink rosebud on it, and 
every time that Jenny Strong does give her head a 
nod, that pink rosebud does give itself a nod. It 
must be interest to be a pink rosebud on a black 



THE STORY OF OPAL 115 

bonnet that Jenny Strong wears. When we were 
come to the gate Jenny Strong did hold her cape 
and her gray dress up In a careful way. She had 
blue stockings on, and they was fastened up with 
pink ribbons. She went on while I did shut the 
gate. I did come after. I could not come after in a 
quick way because the bags was heavy. Pretty 
soon Jenny Strong did have seeing I was not there 
beside her, and she did wait waits for me a little 
while, and I did come to where she was. 

We went on. The way was dampness near the 
singing creek and Jenny Strong did take dainty 
steps as we did go along. Lars Porsena of Clusium 
did come to meet us. And so came Brave Horatlus. 
And Lars Porsena of Clusium did perch upon his 
back. We went on. The pink rosebud on the black 
bonnet of Jenny Strong did nod itself twelve times 
as we did go along. When we were come near unto 
the house, there was a rooster by our front door. 
He was strutting along. He was that same rooster 
that I tied a slice of bacon around his neck this 
morning because he had queer actions In the 
throat. When Jenny Strong saw him strutting 
along with the bacon wrapped around his throat, 
she did turn her head to the side with a delicate 
cough. 

After Jenny Strong took off her cape and her 
black bonnet with the pink rosebud on it, I did 
pull the best rocking-chair out in the middle of the 
room for her. She sat down in It and she did start 



ii6 THE STORY OF OPAL 

to have talks with the mamma. I did go to teeter 
the baby on the bed as the mamma did say for me 
to do. Jenny Strong did rock big rocks in that rock- 
ing-chair while she did talk. One time she did 
almost rock over. She breathed a big breath. Then, 
that she might not rock over again, I did put a 
stick of wood under the rocker. That helped some. 
But, too, it did keep her from rocking. She went on 
talking. I went back to the bed to teeter the baby. 
While I did teeter the baby I did look looks out the 
window. In a bush that I do tie pieces of suet to, 
there was a little gray bird with a black cap and his 
throat it was black. He was a fluffy ball and he 
almost did turn himself upside-down on that 
branch. Then he went a go-away. Only a little 
way he went. Then he was with more like himself. 
They went on together. 

By and by the mamma's baby did go to sleep, 
and I climbed off the bed and made a start to go to 
the nursery. Jenny Strong did ask me where I was 
going. I did tell her. She said she thought she 
would like to go with me. We did go out the door. 
Then I ran a quick run back to get her black bonnet 
with the pink rosebud on it. I brought it to her. 
She said, being as I did bring it to her, she would 
wear it, but she had not in tent chuns to when we 
started. She had forgot it. But I did n't have for- 
gets. I do so like to see that pink rosebud nod itself. 

We went on. We went a little way down the 
path. Then I did go aside. Jenny Strong did follow 



THE STORY OF OPAL 117 

after me. She came over the Httle logs in a slow- 
way. I did make stops to help her. The pink rose- 
bud on the black bonnet did nod itself fifteen times 
on the way. I did count its times. When we were 
come to the nursery, first I did show her the many 
baby seeds I did gather by the wayside in the fall- 
time. I did tell her how I was going to plant them 
when come springtime. She did nod her head. 
Every time she so did, the pink rosebud on the 
black bonnet did nod itself. 

After I told her most all about the seeds, I did 
show her the silk bags with spider eggs in them. 
Then I did show her all the cradles the velvety 
caterpillars did make at falltime. I did give her 
explainings how butterflies and moths would be 
a-coming out of the cradles when springtime was 
come. She looked concentration looks at them. 
She gave her head some more nods and the pink 
rosebud on the black bonnet gave itself some more 
nods. I moved on to where the wood-mouse folks 
are. I was just going to show her what a nice nose 
and little hands Nannerl Mozart has, and what a 
velvety mouse Felix Mendelssohn is. When I did 
turn about to so do, there was Jenny Strong going 
in funny little hops over the logs. She was going in 
a hurry way to the house. 

I did have a wonder why was it she so went. I 
gave Felix Mendelssohn more pats and I put him 
in my apron pocket. And Nannerl Mozart did curl 
up in the bed I have fixed for her in the nursery. 



ii8 THE STORY OF OPAL 

Then I did sing a lullaby song to all the wood- 
mice in the nursery. And they are a goodly number. 
I did sing to them the song La Nonette sings as it 
goes on its way to Oise. 

Then I did go through the near woods to the 
mill by the far woods. I so did go to see the man 
that wears gray neckties and is kind to mice. 
When he had seeing that I was come by the big 
tree, he did say in his gentle way, "What is it, 
little one.'' Is Thomas Chatterton Jupiter Zeus not 
well.'"* "Oh, yes," I said, "he is most well and he 
did have likes for that piece of cheese you did give 
to him on yesterday. He is a most lovely wood-rat, 
and what I have come to tell you about is, we got 
company. She has a fondness for pinkness. Her 
name is Jenny Strong. And she has a pink rosebud 
on her black bonnet and ties her blue stockings up 
with pink ribbons." 

And then I did ask him if he did not have thinks 
a pink ribbon would be nice for Thomas Chatterton 
Jupiter Zeus to wear on some days — on days when 
he goes to cathedral service with me. And, too, I 
did tell him how I did have thinks a pink ribbon 
would be nice for William Shakespeare and Felix 
Mendelssohn and Lars Porsena of Clusium and 
Brave Horatius. 

The man that wears gray neckties and is kind to 
mice did have thinks like my thinks. He did say 
for me to go write the fairies about it. And I did. 
I did write it on a gray leaf. I put the gray leaf in 



THE STORY OF OPAL 119 

a moss-box at the end of an old log near unto the 
altar of Saint Louis. The man that wears gray- 
neckties and is kind to mice knows about that 
moss-box where I do put letters for the fairies. He 
believes in fairies, too. And we talk about them. 
He does ask me what I write to them about and 
what things I have needs for them to bring. I do 
tell him, and when the fairies do leave the things 
at the end of the old log, I do take and show them 
to the man that wears gray neckties and is kind to 
mice. He is so glad. He does believe in fairies, too. 

As I did come back through the near woods, 
I did stop by some grand fir trees to pray. When 
one does look looks up at the grand trees growing 
up almost to the sky, one does always have long- 
ings to pray. When I did come on, I did hear the 
mamma calling. When I was come to the door, she 
made me go stand in the corner of the wood-shed. 
Soon she came out. She did shut the door tight 
behind her. Then she did ask me what for was it I 
gave Jenny Strong such a scare, and she did spank 
me most hard. Now I have sore feels and I have 
thinks it would be nice to have a cushion to sit on. 
And I do have wonders what it was Jenny Strong 
got scares about. I think grown-ups are queer 
sometimes. 

When I did go into the house, all the scares was 
gone off Jenny Strong. The mamma soon did make 
me to go under the bed. Here I print. Jenny 
Strong sits by the fire. She does sit in a rocking- 



I20 THE STORY OF OPAL 

chair with her feet propped up on a soap-box. She 
hums as she sits. She crochets as she hums. She 
does make lace in a quick way. 

Now Jenny Strong and the mamma is gone to 
the house of Elsie to see the new baby. When she 
did go, the mamma did tell me to put the baby to 
sleep. I so did. I did sing it to sleep in the rocking- 
chair. I did sing it the Riviere and Fleuve song: "A 
is for Adour, Avre, Ain, Aube, Arroux, and Allier." 
When I did get to "D is for Douze and Dordogne 
and Durance," the baby did move its arm. When 
I did get to "G is for Garonne and Gers and Gard," 
the baby did open its eyes. When I did get to "I 
is for Indre, and Isere and Iraouaddy," it did close 
its eyes. I did sing on. And sleeps did come upon 
the baby. 

We had lots on the table to eat to-night, because 
Jenny Strong is come. And most everything I did 
get to eat I did make divides of it for my animal 
friends. They will all have a good share. And they 
will be glad. There is enough for all to have a 
good amount to eat, which often is n't. I did feel 
a goodly amount of satisfaction sitting there at 
the supper-table to-night for a little time. I was 
thinking how glad the mice will be for the corn I 
have saved for them; and too Brave Horatius will 
have good feels in his mouth when he sees that 
big bone. And. the birds will like all the scraps that 
are on the plate of Jenny Strong if I can get them 
before the mamma gives them to that big gray cat. 



THE STORY OF OPAL 121 

I have seeings that the folks, they are almost 
through eating. I now am not at the table. I was 
only there for a very little while. I now am under 
the bed. The mamma did send me away from the 
table — it seems a long time ago. She did send me 
away from the table because when Jenny Strong 
asked me if I liked her dress, I said, "Yes, and the 
ruffles around your neck are like the ruffles around 
the neck of the man with the glove, when Titian 
made his picture." Jenny Strong looked a queer 
look and she said to the mamma, "What a naughty 
child!" The mamma did straightway tell me to 
crawl under the bed and to stay there. I so am. I 
have feels Jenny Strong has not had seeing of the 
picture of the man with the glove that Titian did 
make. I thought it was nice to tell her her ruffles 
were like his. They did look so nice. 

I have wonders about folks. They are hard to 
understand. I think I will just say a little prayer. 
My, I do have such hungry feels now. They at the 
table are not through yet. I make swallows down 
my throat. It is most hard not to eat what I have 
saved for my animal friends. But they will like it 
— so I can wait waits until breakfast-time. I can. 
In-between times I will have thinks and prayers. 



CHAPTER XVI 

Of the Woods on a Lonesome Day, and the Friendliness of the 
Wood-Folks on December Days when you Put your Ears 
Close and Listen. 

This day — it was a lonely day. I did have 
longings all its hours for Angel Mother and Angel 
Father. In-between times all day at school I did 
print messages for them on gray leaves I did gather 
on the way to school. I did tell on the leaves the 
longings I was having. Too, on the leaves I did tell 
of William Shakespeare and our talks as we do go 
walking down the lane, and the poetry I do tell him 
in the manger. And I did print on more leaves how 
I do read out of the books they did make — how I 
do sit in the manger and read what is in them, and 
he does have understandings. And on other leaves 
I did tell them as how the nose of Thomas Chatter- 
ton Jupiter Zeus that was soreness has now well 
feels with prayers and mentholatum that Sadie 
McKibben did give, and as how the head-ache 
of the most big rooster has now well feels with 
camphoratum and vaselineatum; and as how the 
stomach-ache of Aphrodite did get well feels with 
caster oilatum that Sadie McKibben did give. And 
after, I did tell of how on many days in gray-light- 
time I have had going on searches for the kisses of 
Angel Father, what he did tell me to keep watches 



THE STORY OF OPAL 123 

for in the fleurs while he was away gone to the far 
lands. And on more leaves I did tell them as how 
Peter Paul Rubens that was is not now, and how 
I do carry about with me the little bell he always 
did wear in the cathedral. 

And when these leaves were so done, I did not 
go on for a time little. For a little time I did have 
thinks. And the thinks I did have — they were 
about the glad song. The glad song in my heart 
sings not bright to-day. It is lonesome feels I have. 
But I do try to have thinks as how I can bring 
happiness to folks about. That is such a help when 
lonesome feels do come. Angel Mother did say, 
"Make earth glad, little one — that is the way to 
keep the fire-tongue of the glad song ever in your 
heart. It must not go out." I so do try to keep it 
there. I so do try, for it is helps on cold days and 
old days. And I did have remembers as how it was 
Angel Mother did say, "When one keeps the glad 
song singing in one's heart then do the hearts of 
others sing." 

So I did make hard swallows to swallow all the 
lonesome feels, and I did have thinks as how I 
would stop to get water-cress for the mamma on 
the way home from school. She does have such a 
fondness for it. And too she does have longings for 
singing lessons. I am saving my pennies to buy her 
one. All the pennies that the man that wears gray 
neckties and is kind to mice does give to me I save. 
I put them in the corner of the wood-shed where 



124 THE STORY OF OPAL 

Brave Horatius sleeps at night. I think I have most 
enough pennies to buy her a singing lesson now. I 
have nineteen pennies. And when I grow up I am 
going to buy her a whole rain-barrel full of singing 
lessons. 

And then I did have thinks as how to-morrow I 
will be taking Elizabeth Barrett Browning to visit 
the girl who has no seeing. They do both have 
likings for one another. The girl who has no seeing 
has an understanding soul. All my friends do have 
appreciations of the pats she does give to them and 
the words she does say. And sometimes a goodly 
number of them do have goings to her house with 
me. That is when her folks are not at home. Then 
does Elizabeth Barrett Browning walk right by 
my side up to the door. And Thomas Chatterton 
Jupiter Zeus cuddles up in my arms, and in my 
pockets do ride other folks — and Brave Horatius 
follows after. 

When we are come, she does smooth back my 
curls and give me a kiss. She says when we are 
come, "Here is come the kingdom of heaven." I 
have feels she has mistakes about that, because the 
kingdom of heaven, being up in the sky, is there 
beyond the stars. And when we are come, she does 
have asking about the voices. And I do help her to 
get understandings of the thoughts growing with the 
fleurs and the trees and the leaves. And I do tell 
her as how those are God's thoughts growing right 
up out of the earth. And she wants to know more. 



THE STORY OF OPAL 125 

Always she does ask for more. To-morrow we will 
go — Elizabeth Barrett Browning and me — we 
will go the way that does lead to the house of the 
girl that has no seeing. 

To-day, after I did have thinks about it in 
school, I did print more messages on leaves for 
Angel Father and Angel Mother. I did tell them 
about the girl who has no seeing. And on more 
leaves I did print all about the cathedral and how 
the presence of Saint Louis is always near unto it. 
And then it was come time for school to let out. 

I went adown the road. I went the way by the 
field where Aidan of lona come from Lindisfarne 
was on yesterday. I climbed the fence. I looked 
looks about. He was not there to-day. But there 
were Bede of Jarrow and Felix of Croyland. I did 
have talks with them. I went on. I went on to the 
singing creek where the willows grew. I gathered 
water-cress for the mamma. Then I did go my way 
to the house we live in. No one was there. I put 
the water-cress for the mamma on the cook table. 
Then I did bring much wood in and put it in the 
wood-box back of the kitchen stove. 

After the chickens did have their supper feed, I 
did go into the near woods. I so went to tie the 
messages I did print on gray leaves to the trees. 
And I tied one on one tree and one on another. I 
tied them there that they may go in thoughts to 
Angel Mother and Angel Father up in heaven 
there. And I did have thinks when the angels come 



126 THE STORY OF OPAL 

to walk In the near woods they would see and carry 
them on. And I did say a little prayer every time 
I did tie on a leaf-message. 

I did look looks about. This woods Is gray In 
winter when come cold days. And gray shadows 
walk among the trees. They touch one's face with 
velvet fingers when one goes walking there in the 
woods. In the winter old gray leaves grow to look 
like lace. They are very beautiful. As I did go 
along, I saw many gray rocks. Some gray rocks 
had gray and green patches on them. Some of 
these patches had ruffles all around their edges. 
The gray patches on gray rocks are lichens. My 
Angel Father said so. Lichen folks talk In gray 
tones. I think they do talk more when come win- 
ter days. I hear their voices more in December than 
I do hear their voices In July and June time. Angel 
Father did show me the way to listen to lichen 
voices. Most grown-ups don't hear them at all. I 
see them walk right by — in a hurry sometimes. 
And all the time the lichen folks are saying things. 
And the things they say are their thoughts about 
the gladness of a winter day. I put my ear close to 
the rocks and I listen. That Is how I do hear what 
they are saying. Then I do take a reed for a flute. 
I climb on a stump — on the most high stump that 
Is near. I pipe on the flute to the wind what the 
lichens are saying. I am piper for the lichens that 
dwell on the gray rocks, and the lichens that cling 
to the trees grown old. 



CHAPTER XVII 

Of Works to be Done; and how it Was that a Glad Light Came 
into the Eyes of the Man who Wears Gray Neckties and Is 
Kind to Mice. 

Morning works is done — and some more 
already too. There is enough barks in for to-day 
and to-morrow. And many kindhngs are now in 
on the floor by the big wood-box. I have had my 
dinner at the noontime and I went into the barn. 
There were Httle sad sounds in the stall. It was the 
moos of Mathilde Plantagenet. Now I have thinks 
her moos were moos for some dinner at noontime. 
She has breakfast at morningtime and supper she 
has at gray-light-time. But when noontime is 
come, Mathilde Plantagenet is here in the barn, 
and her mother, the most gentle Jersey cow, is 
away out in the pasture. I have thinks there is 
needs for me to take Mathilde Plantagenet from 
the barn to the pasture at noontimes so she may 
have her dinner. I go now to so do. 

I did give the latch of the barn-door a slip back. 
Then I led Mathilde Plantagenet out by the little 
rope I did use to use to lead Elizabeth Barrett 
Browning out by when she was a little calf. We 
went our way to the pasture-bars. I did give to one 
a push, and it made a drop down. Then I gave two 
more pushes, and they went drop downs. We went 



128 THE STORY OF OPAL 

on through in between. It took a more long time to 
fix up the pasture-bars. They have so heavy feels 
when I go to put them back again. When I did 
have them so put, we made a go-on. We went a 
little way on. We did not have goes far, for the 
gentle Jersey cow had sees of our coming and she 
came to meet us. We was glad to have it so. I 
have thinks Mathilde Plantagenet did have most 
joy feels about it. She did start to get her dinner 
from her mother in a quick way. I watched her 
suck and suck some more. Seeing her have her 
dinner from her mother a long time before supper- 
time did make me to have such a big amount of 
satisfaction feels. 

The grandpa felt not so. There was disturbs on 
his temper. He was at our house when I was come 
home from leading Mathilde Plantagenet back to 
the barn after she had sucked her mother a long 
time. The mamma did spank me some and some 
more. Now I have wonders why was it the grandpa 
felt not satisfaction feels at Mathilde Plantagenet 
having her dinner near noontime just like most all 
other children. 

After the mamma did spank me, she told me 
more works to do, and she went with her father to 
the ranch-house to see her mother that was newly 
come back from the mill town where she did go 
early on this morning. 

When the more works was done, I went in a 
quick soft way to the woods. I made little hops 
over the bushes — the little bushes — as I did go 



THE STORY OF OPAL 129 

along. I went along the path until I came near 
unto the way that does lead to the big old log where 
is the moss-box. I hid behind a tree when I was 
almost come there. I so did to wait a wait to see if 
the fairies were near about. I had not seeing of one 
about the moss-box. 

I looked looks about. I looked looks about the 
old root by the log. It turned a big piece of bark 
over. Under it was something between two layers 
of moss tied up with a pink ribbon. I felt glad feels. 
When I did untie the pink ribbon around the moss, 
there was lots more of pink ribbons. They did 
have little cards, and the little card on a nice long 
piece of pink ribbon said, "For Thomas Chatterton 
Jupiter Zeus." Another card on a more long piece 
did say, " For William Shakespeare." Another card 
on a more short piece did say, "For Lars Porsena 
of Clusium." And there was a ribbon for Brave 
Horatius and Isaiah and Elizabeth Barrett Brown- 
ing and for Mathilde Plantagenet, and there was 
more. 

I did take them all in my arms and I did go to 
the mill in the far woods. I so went to show all 
those pretty pink ribbons to the man that wears 
gray neckties and is kind to mice. I did show him 
all the cards that was on them. He was glad. I had 
seeing of the glad light in his eyes. He and I — we 
do believe in fairies. Near him to-day was working 
the man of the long step that whistles most all of 
the time. He is a man with an understanding soul. 
When Brave Horatius did get his leg hurt the other 



I30 THE STORY OF OPAL 

day, this man did wash it and mentholatum it, and 
he wrapped his handkerchief in rounds around it. 
Brave Horatius has Hkes for him, too. 

To-day, when I did show to the man that wears 
gray neckties and is kind to mice all the pink 
ribbons the fairies did bring, he did say he thought 
the other man would like to see Brave Horatius's 
new pink ribbon that he was going to wear to 
cathedral service come a Sunday. And he did have 
likes to see it. When I told him how it was brought 
by the fairies to the moss-box by the old log, he 
said, "By jolly — that's fine." And the man that 
wears gray neckties and is kind to mice gave me 
pats on the head, and I brought the ribbons back 
to a box where I do keep things in the woods. 

I went on. When I was come to the house we 
live in, I had sees the mamma was come back. 
When I was come into the house, I had sees with 
her the mamma brought back a little bottle — it 
is called china-mending glue — guaranteed to stick. 
That sounds great. I believe that bottle is quite a 
blessing. It has an interest look. It will be of much 
use in many ways. I'm glad the mamma set it on 
the lamp-shelf, because I can climb on the stove 
and reach up to the shelf. 

Now I go to talk with the willows where Nonette 
flows. I am going to tell them about this being the 
horning day of Queen Elizabeth of York, in 1465. 
Then I am going goes to tell William Shakespeare 
and Lars Porsena of Clusium about it. 



CHAPTER XVIII 

How Opal Pays One Visit to Elsie and Another to Dear Love, 
and Learns how to Mend her Clothes in a Quick Way. 

The nipple on Elsie's baby's milk-bottle has not 
stay-ons. It has had come-offs a lot of times to-day. 
The last time it did come off, Elsie did say, "I wish 
it would stick tight this time." I was standing by 
with the bacon she was sending back that she did 
borrow from the mamma. When I did hear her 
express her wish, I did tell her I had knows of a 
way to make that nipple stick tight on the baby's 
milk-bottle. She said, "That's nice — I don't 
know of a way." Inside me I had feels she ought 
to have knows of a way — now that her babies are 
two. But I had sees how it was she had not knows 
of a way; on her lamp-shelf back of the stove there 
is no bottle of china-mending glue guaranteed to 
stick. I looked looks up to the shelf and there was 
not any. 

She had asks for me to show her the way. I told 
her it was as I would have to go first to the house 
we live in. I so went in a quick way. The mamma 
was not in. I put the bacon on the cook-table. 
Then I made a climb up on the stove to get the 
bottle of china-mending glue. I most fell off the 
stove, but I did n't. If I did, I might have broke 



132 THE STORY OF OPAL 

the bottle of china-mending glue guaranteed to 
stick. That would have been a cal lamb of tea. 

When I was come to the house of Elsie, she had 
askings what was she to do. I told her to go in the 
bedroom and shut her eyes while her v/ish came 
true. She filled the baby's bottle that used to be a 
brandy bottle with warm milk. She gave it and the 
nipple to me, and she went into the bedroom to 
wait waits for her wish to come true. A little time 
it took. I had to have carefuls, so there would n't 
be glue in top of the bottle too. I made it in a nice 
ring around the top. Then I put some more china- 
mending glue guaranteed to stick in a ring around 
the edge of the nipple. That fixed it. When I put 
it on, I had knows it would stick. 

I put the china-mending glue in my pocket, and 
when I did say, " It is fixed ! " Elsie did come. I felt 
a big amount of satisfaction. It is nice to help 
people to have what they wish for. It was as Elsie 
did have wishes for it to be. When I did hand it to 
her, she did have askings how was she going to have 
it stick on on other days when I was not there to 
make it so do. She did have asks how did I do it. 
I told her it was n't me — it was the china-mend- 
ing glue guaranteed to stick. That was what did it. 

She had a spell of cough. It came in a sudden 
way upon her while I was telling her what it was 
that made the nipple stick like she had wishes for 
it to. I had not knows in the morning of this day 
she had a cold. Whenever she does have a cold or 



THE STORY OF OPAL 133 

feels of a one coming, she does send in a quick way 
for her mother. And her mother does come. She 
comes down the road that goes up to the mines. 
She has not come yet. And it's an awful cough 
Elsie did have then, and tears in her eyes. 

When she did get better of the cough, I did give 
more explains how she could always make the 
nipple stick on tight on the baby's bottle by keep- 
ing there on her lamp-shelf a bottle of mending 
glue guaranteed to stick. She started to have 
coughs again and I gave her some pats on the back, 
like I have seen a man by the mill by the far woods 
pat his brother on the back. The pats on the back 
did help her some. When she had coughs no more, 
I went out the door. She stepped out on her back 
steps. She gave my curls a smooth back and told 
me thanks for making her wish come true. And 
she told me more thanks for the in form ashun 
about how to make the nipple stick on the baby's 
bottle other times. 

When I was come into the house we live in, I had 
thinks to go to visit Dear Love. When I did give my 
dress a smooth-out, I did have feels of that tear 
I got in it yesterday on top the barn door when I 
did go to talk with Michael Angelo Sanzio Raphael. 
That was not a little tear. It was quite a big one. 
I had thinks it might get some more tear if I did 
not mend it. I got a patch. It was almost like the 
dress. It was a piece of a piece that was left when 
the mamma did make for her baby a jacket of 



134 '1^1 11^ STORY OK OPAL 

light blue outing flannel. The patch of light blue 
looked nice on my dark blue calico dress, and the 
patch did have a soft feel. I mended it onto my 
dress with china-mending glue guaranteed to stick. 
Mending it that way saves so much time. It is 
quicker than mending it with a needle and thread 
in the regular way. 

Then I went to get the cap of the husband of 
Dear Love. The husband of Dear Love has given 
me one of his c^ld caps to carry some of my pets in. 
Sometimes caterpillars do ride in it — black and 
bnnvn ones that do roll up in a ball and sleep the 
all of the time that I have them out for a walk. 
And sometimes Felix Mendelssohn and Nannerl 
Mozart and Louis 11, le Grand CcMide, do all ride 
in it. It is a nice warm place for them to ride when 
we do go on winter walks, l^ut ninsil)- Li)uis II, le 
Grand Conde, has prefers to ride in the sleeves of 
my warm red dress. 

Sometimes Brave lloratius does wear this cap 
that was the cap of the husband of Dear Love. 
It so was to-day when Brave lloratius and I did go 
to visit Dear Love; Brave lloratius did wear the 
cap of her husband. I put little pink-ribbon strings 
on it, and I did tie them under his chin in a nice 
way. He was very quiet while I did so do, and his 
being quiet did help me to get them tied in a nice 
way. He is suck a lovely dog. And he does have 
appreciations for all the things 1 do for him. When 
I did have that cap tied on in a nice way, he did 



'VUE STORY OI" OPAI. 13^ 

bark a joy bark, and lie gave lii.s tail three wags, 
and wc did start to go to the house of Dear Love. 

As we did go along I did make stops to look for 
cones and to get a piece (jf long moss. I put them 
in my pocket. I put them there for the girl who has 
no seeing. She has likes for the things I bring her to 
feel. She says she has likes to have them near her 
in the house she does live in. So most every day I 
do find something for her, so she can have joy with 
its feels. She so does like pine-needles. 1 did gather 
for her my little basket full of pine-needles under 
the most tall pine tree of all. 

We went on. Little blue flcurs are early blooming 
now, before the oak and maple trees have yet their 
leaves. I do so like blue. It is glad everywhere. 
When I grow up I am going to write a br>ok about 
the glads of blue — and about the dauphinelle and 
lin and cornette and nigelle and herhe-de-la-trinile . 

We made more stops to tell the willows by Non- 
ette about this day being the borning day of Galileo 
in 1564 and the going-away day of Michael Angelo 
in 1564. And I did say anr^ther little thank prayer 
to God for their borning. This morning we did have 
prayers of thanks in the cathedral for the works 
they did on earth. And Elizabeth Barrett Brown- 
ing was there and Brave Horatius and most of the 
rest of us, except Louis II, le Grand Conde. 

When we were come to the house of Dear Love, 
the husband of Dear Love was making for her a 
chair. He was putting much work on all the little 



136 THE STORY OF OPAL 

pieces. He did make all little rough places to have 
much smoothness. He so did with tools out of a 
tool-box he does keep in the kitchen of their little 
house. When he is not having uses of the tools in 
the tool-box, then the tool-box has its lid down and 
it is a seat to sit on. Sometimes on rainy days 
when I do take Thomas Chatterton Jupiter Zeus to 
visit Dear Love, we all do sit on the tool-box and 
Thomas Chatterton Jupiter Zeus does allow Dear 
Love to give him gentle pats on his nice white paws. 
He does have such beautiful ones. To-day he did 
have allows for her to pat his paws while we did sit 
on a little bench. 

Dear Love had thinks the appears of the cap of 
her husband on the head of Brave Horatius was 
very nice. And the husband of Dear Love did say 
the pink ribbons now on his cap made it a better- 
looking cap. I had thinks so, too. Before I did 
have comes back to the house we live in, Dear Love 
did get out a piece of calico just like my dress. 
Then she cut out the light blue patch that I did 
mend on with china-mending glue guaranteed to 
stick. She did sew on the blue calico patch in a nice 
way. She so did because she thought the light blue 
patch of outing flannel would be nice for a crib- 
robe for Felix Mendelssohn. 

While Dear Love was sewing that blue calico 
patch on my blue calico dress with little stitches, 
her husband did smile and look at her and he did 
say, "Another reason." Now I have thinks the 



THE STORY OF OPAL 137 

other reason was that he had fears if I longer wore 
that Hght blue patch of outing flannel on my dress, 
some of its soft feels would get wored oflF and would 
n't be there for the joys of Felix Mendelssohn. He 
is a mouse that has likes for soft feels to go to 
sleep in. 



CHAPTER XIX 

Of the Camp by the Mill by the Far Woods; of the Spanking 
that Came from the New Way of Mending Clothes; and of 
the Long Sleep of William Shakespeare. 

The papa is again come home from one of the 
upper camps — one of those by the riviere. I had 
seeing of him when I went to look for Lucian Horace 
Ovid Virgil under the front step. He said he was 
going to make early garden. He said he thought he 
would set some onions out and plant some radishes 
and some seeds that will grow into lettuce. I did 
make a stop to help him. He said for me to carry 
off the rocks where he did make spade-ups. I did. 
I picked up the rocks in a quick way. I carried 
them a little way away by the brook. When sum- 
mertime is come, I have thinks I will put them in 
the brook with some more to make the brook have 
more wideness. And the man of the long step that 
whistles most all of the time has made me a water- 
wheel to go rounds in the brook when summertime 
is come. 

The time it took to pick up those rocks — it was 
a time long. I did like to do it. I had thinks it 
would be of helps to the papa. After they was all 
picked up and carried over by the brook, I did go 
to the papa to see what more helps I could be. He 
was talking with the husband of Elsie. When I did 



THE STORY OF OPAL 139 

ask him what helps I could be, he told me to run 
away from there — he wanted to talk. 

I so did. I got Thomas Chatterton Jupiter Zeus, 
and we went to the woods. Brave Horatius did 
come a-following after. And Louis II, le Grand 
Conde, did ride in the sleeve of my warm red dress. 
As we did go along, the leaves of salal did make 
little rustles. They were little askings. They had 
wants to know what day this was. I made stops 
along the way to tell them it was the going-away 
day of Gentile Bellini in 1507 and Sir Joshua 
Reynolds in 1792 and John Keats in 1821 and the 
horning day of George Frederick Handel in 1685. 
I have thinks they and the tall fir trees were glad 
to know. 

Brave Horatius barked a bark and we went on. 
He looked a look back to see if we was coming. 
Thomas Chatterton Jupiter Zeus did cuddle up 
more close in my arms. We saw six birds and I did 
sing to Brave Horatius the bird song of grandpere 
of roiielet and ortolan and truant and etourneau and 
Tossignol and tourterelle and durbec and orfraie 
and roussetta and loriot and nonnette and sarcelle and 
draine and epeiche and cygne and hirondelle and aigle 
and ramier and tarin and rousserolle and emerillon 
and sittelle. Brave Horatius and William Shake- 
speare do have likes for that song. Sometimes I 
bo sing it to them four times a day. 

We all did go on until we were come near to 
where were two men of the mill by the far woods. 



I40 THE STORY OF OPAL 

They were making divides of a very large log. They 
were making it to be many short logs. There 
was a big saw going moves between. One man 
did push it and one man did pull it. I went on. 
I did look a look back. I had sees there was a 
tall fern growing by the foot of one man, and he 
did have his new overalls cut off where they do 
meet the boots. I wonder why it is the lumber- 
camp folk do cut off their overalls where they do 
meet the boots. When they so cut them, they get 
fringy — and such fringes are more long than other 
fringes. I wonder why it is they so cut them — it 
maybe is because they so want fringes about the 
edge of the legs of their overalls. I would have 
prefers for ruffles. 

We did go on. We went a little way on, and we 
had sees of more folks of the camp by the mill by 
the far woods. I did make a climb upon an old 
tree-root to have sees of them at work. Brave 
Horatius made a jump up, and he came in a walk 
over to where me and Thomas Chatterton Jupiter 
Zeus were sitting. We had seeing of them all work- 
ing. I have thinks the folks that live in the lumber 
camps — they are kindly folk. When they come 
home from work at eventime, I do so like to sit on 
a stump and watch them go by. They come in twos 
and threes. They do carry their dinner-pails in 
their hands. And some do whistle as they come. 
And some do talk. And some that do see me sitting 
on the stump do come aside and give to me the 




w 
S ^ 



THE STORY OF OPAL 141 

scraps in their dinner-pails. Some have knowing 
of the needs I do have for scraps in the nursery and 
the hospital. And too, when they come home from 
work In the far woods, the men do bring bits of 
moss and nice velvet caterpillars and little rocks. 
Some do. And these they give to me for my nature 
collections. And I feel joy feels all over. Brave 
Horatius does bark joy barks. He does know and 
I do know the folks that live in the lumber camps — 
they are kindly folks. 

Morning Is glad on the hills. I hear a song like 
unto the song of the verdier. The sky sings in blue 
tones. The earth sings in green. I am so happy. 
The mamma is gone for a visit away. Before her 
going she did set me to mind the baby. I do so. 
In between times I print, and I do spell over and 
over the words in my two books Angel Father and 
Angel Mother did make. I sing-song the letters 
of the words when I go adown the road. So I do 
when I am in the house when the mamma is n't at 
home. I do not so when she is at home, because 
she won't let me. 

Now Elizabeth Barrett Browning is calling me 
out in the pasture. I expect she wants an apple or 
a sugar-lump. But I cannot have goes out there to 
the pasture because the mamma did say for me to 
mind the baby and mind the house. I sing to the 
baby words out of the two books and the song 
about Iraouaddy and the bird-song of grandpere. 



142 THE STORY OF OPAL 

And I have minded the house as the mamma did 
say for me to do. First I swept the floors in a care- 
ful way. The broom made bobby moves. That 
broom in my hands makes not moves Hke the moves 
it does make in the hands of the mamma. It has so 
much of tallness. I look looks up its handle. And 
afterwards I did the windows a wash up and down 
with a cloth that did have bon ami on it. When 
the windows do get dirt on them it is quite a worry 
on the mamma's mind. She so likes to have all 
things clean. I have thinks maybe she will have 
some glad feels way down in her heart where one 
cannot see them when she is come home and has 
seeing of the windows made clean. 

And more helps I have done. Most every week 
there is patches to fix on clothes that have needs of 
them. Patching is quite a worry on the mamma's 
mind. It will be so no more. I have found a better 
way. While she was gone away to-day I did get all 
the week's patching done. First I began on the 
papa's undershirt. It needed a big patch on the 
elbow. The mamma had cut out the patch and 
pinned it there on the sleeve near unto the hole. 
I patched it on with china-mending glue guaran- 
teed to stick. 

Then I did do all the other patching that was in 
the basket. It did take most all the china-mending 
glue. When I did see it was most all gone, I did 
have remembers of that kettle that I have heard 
the mamma say she has wishes its lid would stick 
on tight. It is always a-coming ofi^. I did fix that 



THE STORY OF OPAL 143 

lid on that kettle so it will stay as tight as the 
mamma has wishes for it to. And then I did put 
the bottle that used to be full of china-mending 
glue back in its place on the lamp-shelf. 

The baby had wake-ups and I did sing it to sleep. 
When sleeps was come upon the baby, the mamma 
did come in the door. First she went to look upon 
her dear baby sleeping there on the bed. She said 
now she was going to mend those two mush-dishes. 
And she got the pieces of them from the cupboard. 
She put them on the cook-table. And then the 
mamma went to get the china-mending glue guar- 
anteed to stick. There was none in the bottle. I 
knew where it was gone. The mamma knew too. 
After she did spank for some long time, she did ask 
me what I did with all that glue. It took quite 
some time to tell her about Elsie's baby's bottle 
that she had wishes for the nipple to stick on tight, 
and about all the patches the china-mending glue 
did fix, and all the other things that it did fix. 

When I got to the end she did spank me again. 
She said that was to be good on. Now I do think 
it was real kind of her to tell me what that last 
spanking was for. Most times I don't know what I 
get spanked for. And I do like to know, because if 
I did have knows what I was spanked for, I'd be 
real careful about doing what it was again, if it was 
not helping folks of the fields and woods. I have 
to do that no matter how many spanks I do get for 
it. But there is so much joy in the woods and does 
help spank feels to hurt not so much. Now I think 



144 THE STORY OF OPAL 

I will go feed the folks in the nursery, and then I 
will go to have vesper service in the cathedral. 

Most all this afternoon-time I have been out in 
the field — the one that is nearest unto the woods. 
I have been having talks with William Shakespeare. 
To-day he is not working in the woods with the 
other horses. He is having a rest-day. He was 
laying down near unto one of the altars I have 
builded for Saint Louis. He did lay there all the 
afternoon. Tiredness was upon him. I gave his 
nose rubs, and his neck and ears, too. And I did 
tell him poems and sing him songs. He has likes for 
me to so do. After I did sing him more, sleeps did 
come upon him. The breaths he did breathe while 
he was going to sleep, they were such long breaths. 
And I gave unto him more pats on the nose and 
pats on the neck. We are chums — William Shake- 
speare and me. This evening I will come again to 
wake him. I'll come just before suppertime, so he 
may go in with the other horses to eat his supper 
in the barn. 

I did. Sleeps was yet upon him. He looked so 
tired lying there. I went up to pet his front leg, 
but it was stiff. I petted him on the nose — and his 
nose it was so cold. I called him, but he did not 
answer. I said again, "William Shakespeare, don't 
you hear me calling.?" but he did not answer. I 
have thinks he is having a long rest so he will have 
ready feels to pull the heavy poles on to-morrow. I 



THE STORY OF OPAL 145 

now go goes to tell the man that wears gray neck- 
ties and is kind to mice about William Shake- 
speare having all this rest-day and how he has 
sleeps in the field with the pink ribbon around his 
neck that the fairies did bring. Thomas Chatterton 
Jupiter Zeus is going goes with me. We will wait 
on the stump by that path he does follow when he 
comes home from work at eventime. 

We are come back. The man that wears gray 
neckties and is kind to mice did go with us to see 
William Shakespeare having his long sleep there in 
the field by the altar of Saint Louis. Now I do 
have understanding. My dear William Shake- 
speare will no more have wake-ups again. Rob 
Ryder cannot give him whippings no more. He has 
gone to a long sleep — a very long sleep. He just 
had goes because tired feels was upon him. I have 
so lonesome feels for him, but I am glad that Rob 
Ryder cannot whip him now no more. I have 
covered him over with leaves. To find enough, I 
went to the far end of the near woods. I gathered 
them into my apron. Sometimes I could hardly see 
my way because I just could not keep from crying. 
I have such lonesome feels. William Shakespeare 
did have an understanding soul. And I have knows 
his soul will not have forgets of the willows by the 
singing creek. Often I will leave a message there on 
a leaf for him. I have thinks his soul is not far 
gone away. There are little blue fleurs a-blooming 
where he did lay him down to sleep. 



CHAPTER XX 

Of the Little Song-Notes that Dance about Babies; and of the 
Solemn Christening oj Solomon Grundy. 

To-day was wash-day come again. After I did 
do my parts of the washing, I did go to feed the folks 
in the nursery. When I was come back again, I did 
start to make things out of clay. I was making 
vases out of clay when the mamma called me to 
come empty the wash-water. There were two tubs 
full of water. That's an awful lot of water to 
empty. But I carry it out in the wash-pan. And 
wash-pansfull of water are not so much water at a 
time, but they soon empty the tub. 

Then the mamma did have me to weed onions. 
There were an awful lot of weeds trying to grow up 
around those onions. It took a very long time to 
pull all the weeds. And my back did get some tired 
feels, but I did get those weeds pulled out. I have 
thinks the onions were saying, when the wind did 
rustle them, "We thank you for the more room 
we now have got to grow in." Folks growing in a 
garden do say interest things. 

From the onion garden I did go to the Jardin des 
Tuileries. I so did go to have a little service there, 
for this is the horning day of Charles de Valois in 
1270, and the going-away day of Saint Gregoire in 
604. Felix Mendelssohn did ride in my pocket to 



THE STORY OF OPAL 147 

service. He did sleep most of the time, though. I 
did begin to sing by the two Httle trees I have 
planted, for Saint Gregoire I and Charles de Valois. 
I first did sing, "Sanctus, sanctus, sanctus, Dom- 
inus Deus, Hosanna in excelsis." While I was 
singing, Brave Horatius and Lars Porsena of 
Clusium came. They did wait while I did sing two 
more songs. Then I said a long prayer and a little 
prayer. 

Afterwards we did start to go along the path. 
We went a little way. Then I did go aside. I went 
aside to the house of Elsie, to see the new baby. It 
was sleeping in its cradle that the husband of Elsie 
made out of a box. He put rockers on the box and 
Elsie put soft feels in it. After the box did have 
rockers on it and soft feels in it, they did take the 
baby girl from the cradle and lay her in the bed. 
And now everyday, except the day she does go with 
her mother Elsie to visit her grandma, the baby 
does lay in the cradle. And Elsie does rock the 
cradle with her foot while she sews. She sings and 
sings. She sings "Rock-a-by baby in the tree-top; 
when the wind blows, the cradle will rock." And 
while she does sing, I have knowings that the little 
song-notes do dance about the cradle of the baby. 

To-day I did stay quite a time long to look upon 
the face of the baby. I so do love babies. Every 
night I pray for the twins I want when I grow up. 
Some nights I pray that they may have blue eyes 
and golden hair. Other nights I pray for them to 



148 THE STORY OF OPAL 

have brown eyes and brown hair. Sadie McKibben 
tells me I better stop changing my prayers about 
so much, or the angels may bring to me when I grow 
up twins with streaked hair and variegated eyes. 

After I did look upon the little baby at the house 
of Elsie, I did have thinks to go to the house of 
Sadie McKibben. I so did go. As I did go along, I 
did have wonders if mothers can see the little song- 
notes that dance about their babies' cradles when 
they sing lullaby songs to them. I went on across 
the field. When I was come to a stump by the 
fence corner, I stopped. I heard a criard noise. It 
came from near the stump. I think it was a mulot. 
I looked looks about. I had not seeing of it. I 
went on. I saw a blue jay near by the old log where 
I did hide nineteen acorn children on a gray day in 
September. He was looking looks about. I watched 
him make a flyaway with one of my acorns. I did 
count what was left. There was only a few. 

I went on. When I was come to the house of 
Sadie McKibben, she was washing clothes. On 
washing days Sadie McKibben does look a bit dif- 
ferent from her appears on other days. On wash- 
days along in the afternoon her hair does hang in 
strings about her face. Her dress does have crin- 
kles all adown it. And her nice blue gingham apron 
with cross stitches on it does have rumples and 
soapy smells. I .do know so for I do smell those 
soapy smells when I cuddle close to her apron on 
wash-days. 



THE STORY OF OPAL 149 

To-day I did stay by the side of Sadie McKibben 
for a little time. Then I did go to weed her onions 
for her. They did have looks like they did have 
needs for more room to grow in. And while I did 
weed her onions, I did see many beautiful things 
about. There is so much to see near about and a 
little way off, and there is so much to hear. And 
most all the time I am seeing, I am hearing, and I 
do have such glad feels. 

To-day we did christen Solomon Grundy. He 
was borned a week ago yesterday on Monday. 
That's why we did name him Solomon Grundy. 
And this being Tuesday we did christen him, for in 
the rhyme, the grandpa does sing to the children 
about Solomon Grundy being christened on Tues- 
day. Yesterday I made him a christening robe out 
of a new dish-towel that was flapping in the wind. 
But the aunt had no appreciation of the great need 
of a christening robe for Solomon Grundy. And 
my ears were slapped until I thought my head 
would pop open, but it did n't. It just ached. Last 
night when I went to bed I prayed for the ache to 
to go away. This morning when I woke up it had 
gone out the window. I did feel good feels from my 
nightcap to my toes. I thought about the christen- 
ing, and early on this morning, before I yet did eat 
my breakfast, I went out the window that the 
ache went out in the night. I went from the win- 
dow to the pig-pen. 



ISO THE STORY OF OPAL 

I climbed into the pig-pen. I crawled on my 
hands and knees back under the shed where he and 
his sisters five and his little brother were all hav- 
ing breakfast from their mother. I gently did pull 
away by his hind-legs, from among all those dear 
baby pigs, he who had the most curl in his tail. I 
took him to the pump and pumped water on him to 
get every speck of dirt off. He squealed because 
the water was cold. So I took some of the warm 
water the mamma was going to wash the milk-pans 
in and I did give him a warm bath in the wash-pan. 
Then he was the pinkiest white pig you ever saw. 
I took the baby's talcum-powder can and I shook 
it lots of times all over him. When the powder 
sprinkled in his eyes, he did object with a regular 
baby-pig squeal. And I climbed right out the bed- 
room window with him, because the mamma heard 
his squeal and she was coming fast. I did go to the 
barn in a hurry, for in the barn yesterday I did hide 
the christening robe. When I reached the top of 
the hay I stopped to put it on Solomon Grundy. 
Then we proceeded to the cathedral. 

A little ways we did go, and I remembered how 
on the borning day of him I did ask that grand fir 
tree. Good King Edward I, to be his god-father. 
And that smaller fir tree growing by his side — the 
lovely Queen Eleanor of Castile — I did ask to be 
his godmother. .We went aside from the path that 
leads unto the cathedral. We went another way. 
We went adown the lane to where dwell Good King 



THE STORY OF OPAL 151 

Edward I and the lovely Queen Eleanor. And there 
beside them Solomon Grundy was christened. They 
who were present at the christening were these — 
Saint Louis and Charlemagne and Hugh Capet 
and King Alfred and Theodore Roosevelt and 
William Wordsworth and Homer and Cicero and 
Brave Horatius and Isaiah. These last two did 
arrive in a hurry in the midst of the service. Being 
dogs with understanding souls, they did realize the 
sacredness of the occasion and they stood silent 
near Charlemagne. 

When we got most to the end of the service just 
at that very solemn moment while I was waiting 
for Good King Edward I and his lovely Queen 
Eleanor of Castile to bestow their blessing upon 
the white head of the babe, he gave a squeal — just 
the kind of a squeal all baby pigs give when they 
are wanting their dinner. After the naming of him, 
I placed around his neck a little wreath that I 
made in the evening yesterday for him. Then I did 
sing softly a hymn to the morning and came again 
home to the pig-pen with Solomon Grundy. 

When I got to the corner of the barn, I pulled off 
his christening robe. I did hide it again in the hay. 
Then I climbed into the pig-pen. I did say the 
Lord's prayer softly over the head of Solomon 
Grundy. After I said Amen I did poke him in 
among all his sisters and near unto his mother. 
Aphrodite gave a grunt of satisfaction, also did 
Solomon Grundy. 



152 THE STORY OF OPAL 

I went to the house. I cHmbed in the window 
again. I took oflF my nightcap and my nightgown. 
I did get dressed in a quick way. The Httle girl was 
romping in the bed. I helped her to get her clothes 
on. Then we went to the kitchen for our breakfast. 
The mamma was in the cellar. She did hear me 
come into the kitchen. She came in. With her 
came a kindling and a hazel switch. 

After she did spank me, she told me to get the 
mush for the little girl's breakfast. It was in a 
kettle. I spooned it out into a blue dish that came 
as premium in the box of mush when they brought 
it new from the mill town. After we did eat our 
mush and drink our milk, the mamma told me to 
clear the table and go tend chickens. I carried feed 
to them. I scattered it in shakes. The chickens 
came in a quick way. Fifteen of those chickens I 
did give names to, but it's hard to tell some of 
them apart. Most of them have about the same 
number of speckles on them. I counted all the 
chickens that were there. There were n't as many 
there as ought to be there. Some came not. These 
were the hens setting in the chicken-house. I went 
in. I lifted them off. They were fidgety and fluffy 
and clucky. I did carry them out to the feed. 

While they were eating breakfast I counted their 
eggs. I made a discovery. Minerva had n't as 
many eggs as th^e others. That meant she would n't 
have as many children as the others would have. I 
did begin to feel sorry about that, because already 



THE STORY OF OPAL 153 

I had picked out names for her fifteen children and 
there in her nest there were only twelve eggs. I 
did n't know what to do, and then I had a think 
what to do. I did It. I took an egg from each nest 
of the three other setting hens. That fixed things. 

Then I thought I would go on an exploration 
trip and to the nursery, and there I would give the 
folks a talk on geology. But then the mamma called 
me to scour the pots and pans. That is something I 
do not like to do at all. So all the time I 'm scouring 
them I keep saying lovely verses, — that helps so 
much, — and by and by the pots and pans are all 
clean. After that all day the mamma did have more 
works for me to do. There was more wood to bring 
in. There was steps to scrub. There was cream to 
be shaked into butter. There was raking to do in 
the yard. There was carpet-strings to sew together. 
In-between times there was the baby to tend. And 
all the time all day long I did have longings to go 
on exploration trips. The fields were calling. The 
woods were calling. I heard the wind. He was 
making music in the forest. It was soft music. It 
was low. It was an echo of the songs the flowers 
were singing. Even If there was much works to do, 
hearing the voices helped me to get the works done 
in the way they ought to be done. 

The most hurry time of all was the time near 
eventime, for there was going to be company to eat 
at the table. The mamma was in a hurry to get 
supper. So I helped her. She only had time to give 



154 THE STORY OF OPAL 

one shake of salt to the potatoes, so I gave them 
three more. She did not have time to put sauce on 
the peas, so I flavored them with lemon extract, 
for the mamma is so fond of lemon flavoring in 
lemon pies. When she made the biscuits, she was in 
such a hurry she forgot to set them on a box back 
of the stove for an airing, as usual, before putting 
them in the oven. Being as she forgot to do it, 
while she was in the cellar to get the butter I did 
take the pan of biscuits out of the oven and put 
them under the stove so they would not miss their 
usual airing. Then I did go to the wood-shed for 
more wood. When I did put it in the wood-box the 
mamma reached over for me. She jerked me. She 
spanked me with her hand and the hair-brush and 
the pankcake-turner. Then she shoved me out the 
door. She said for me to get out and stay out of her 
way. 

I came here to the barn. I sit here printing. 
In-between times I stretch out on the hay. I feel 
tired and sore all over. I wonder for what it was 
the mamma gave me that spanking. I have tried 
so hard to help her to-day. Solomon Grundy is 
grunting here beside me. I went by and got him as 
I came along. Here on the hay I showed to him the 
writings in the two books my Angel Father and 
Angel Mother made for me. These books are such 
a comfort, and when I have them right along with me, 
Angel Father and Angel Mother do seem nearer. 
I did bow my head and ask my guardian angel 



THE STORY OF OPAL 155 

to tell them there In heaven about Solomon Grundy 
being christened to-day. Then I drew him up 
closer to my gingham apron and I patted him often. 
And some of the pats I gave to him were for the 
lovely Peter Paul Rubens that used to be. And the 
more pats I gave Solomon Grundy, the closer he 
snuggled up beside me. To-night I shall sing to him 
a lullaby song as I cuddle him up all snowy white in 
his christening robe, before I take him out to his 
mother Aphrodite in the pig-pen. 

I now have a bottle with a nipple on it for Solo- 
mon Grundy. But he won't pay much attention 
to it. He has prefers to get his dinner from his 
mother Aphrodite out in the pig-pen. 

After he so did have his dinner to-day, and after 
my morning works were done and I did have that 
hen started on a set — that hen had wants to set so 
much; I did have an awful time getting her off the 
nest at feeding-time. I had thinks I would set her 
myself, being as the mamma does n't want to bother 
about it. I had thinks I would put three eggs under 
her to-day, and three more when comes to-morrow, 
and three on the next day, and three on the next. 
That will give her a good setting of eggs to start on. 

To-day, after I so did have her started on a set 
with three eggs, then I went to visit Dear Love. I 
did cuddle up Solomon Grundy in one arm and 
Thomas Chatterton Jupiter Zeus in the other arm. 
And so we went to visit Dear Love. Solomon 



156 THE STORY OF OPAL 

Grundy wore his christening robe and he looked 
very sweet in it. I gave him a nice warm bath before 
we did start, so as to get all the pig-pen smells off. 
Sometimes smells do get in that pig-pen, though I 
do give it brush-outs every day, and I do carry old 
leaves and bracken ferns and straws in for beds for 
Aphrodite. After I did give Solomon Grundy his 
bath I did dust talcumatum powder over him. I 
was real careful not to get any in his eyes. 

As we did go along I did sing to them a lullaby 
about Nonette and Saint Firmin, and more I did 
sing about Iraouaddy. We went on. Then I did 
tell them about the beautiful love the man of the 
long step that whistles most all of the time does 
have for the pensee girl with the far-away look in 
her eyes. But he is afraid to tell her about It — 
Sadie McKIbben says he Is. Sadie McKIbben says 
he Is a very shy man. Thomas Chatterton Jupiter 
Zeus did go to sleeps while I was telling them about 
it — and Solomon Grundy did grunt a little grunt. 
It was a grunt for more sings. So I did sing to 
him, — 

" Did he smile his work to see? 
Did he who made the lamb make thee? " 

He had likes for that song and he grunted a grunt 
with a question in it. So I did sing him some more, 
"Indeed he did, Solomon Grundy, Indeed he did. 
And the hairs of thy baby head — they are num- 
bered." Soon I shall be counting them to see how 
many they are. 



THE STORY OF OPAL 157 

We went on to the house of Dear Love. When we 
were come to there, the husband of Dear Love was 
digging in the ground under the front window of 
their little house. As he did dig, he did pick up the 
little rocks that were under the window and he did 
lay them aside. I did have asks what for was he 
digging up the ground under their window. And he 
did give explanations. He is making a flower-bed, 
and when It is made, Dear Love is going to plant 
morning-glory seeds in It. And then morning-glory 
vines will grow up around the window. I think that 
will be so nice. I did ask him how far up they would 
grow. And he reached up his hand to where they 
have thinks the morning-glory vines will grow to. 
I looked up. It was high up. It was lots more up 
than I have growed to. Now I think It would be 
nice to be a morning-glory vine and grow up and 
up. In the fields I have had seeing that the little 
white ones there do grow out and out. I did ask 
them how many leaves does the morning-glory 
have, that is going to grow up by their window. 
They both did say they were sorry but they did not 
know. Then I did tell them that they did not need 
to have cry feels about It, because when It Is grow- 
ing up we can learn together how many leaves it 
has. And he did stop digging digs, to take Solomon 
Grundy In his arms, and Thomas Chatterton 
Jupiter Zeus had allows for Dear Love to pet his 
paws. 



CHAPTER XXI 

How Opal Names Names of the Lambs of Aidan of lona, and 
Seeks for the Soul of Peter Paul Rubens. 

To-day was a very stormy day — more rainy 
than other stormy days. So we had cathedral 
service on the hay in the barn. Mathllde Plan- 
tagenet was below us in her stall, and she did moo 
moos while I did sing the choir-service. Plato and 
Pliny, the two bats, hung on the rafters in a dark 
corner. Lars Porsena of Clusium perched on the 
back of Brave Horatius. Thomas Chatterton Jupi- 
ter Zeus sat at my feet and munched leaves while I 
said prayers. Lucian Horace Ovid Virgil was on my 
right shoulder, and Louis H, le Grand Conde, was 
on my left shoulder — part of the time; then he did 
crawl in my sleeve to have a sleep. Solomon Grundy 
was asleep by my side in his christening robe, and 
a sweet picture he was in it. On my other side was 
his little sister, Anthonya Mundy, who has not got 
as much curl in her tail as has Solomon Grundy. 

Clementine, the Plymouth Rock hen, was late 
come to service. She came up from the stall of the 
gentle Jersey cow just when I was through singing 
"Hosanna in excelsis." She came and perched on 
the back of Brave Horatius, back of Lars Porsena 
of Clusium. Then I said more prayers, and Brave 
Horatius did bark Amen. When he so did, Clem- 



THE STORY OF OPAL 159 

entlne tumbled off his back. She came over by 
me. I had thinks it would be nice if her pretty 
gray feathers were blue. I gave her a gentle pat and 
then I did begin the talk service. I did use for 
my text, "Blessed be the pure in heart, for they 
shall see God." And all of the time the raindrops 
did made little joy patters on the roof. They were 
coming down from the sky in a quick way. 

Now is the begins of the borning-time of the 
year. I did hurry home from school in a quick way 
in the afternoon of this day. Aidan of lona come 
from Lindisfarne has said I may name the little 
lambs that now are coming. All day I did have 
thinks about what names to call them by. There 
are some names I do so like to sing the spell of. 
Some names I do sing over and over again when I 
do go on explores. I could hardly wait waits until 
school-getting-out time. I had remembers how 
Sadie McKibben says no child should grow a day 
old without having a name. Now some of those 
dear baby lambs are two and three days old since 
their borning-time. 

When I was come to where was Aidan of lona 
come from Lindisfarne, I did tell him now I have 
come to name all your lambs. He did have one 
little lamb in his arms. He did tell me as how it 
was it did n't belong to anyone, and it was lone- 
some without a mother. He said he had thinks he 
would give it to me to rnother. I was so happy. It 



i6o THE STORY OF OPAL 

was very white and very soft and Its legs was slim 
and it had wants for a mother. It had likes for me 
to put my arms around it. I did name it first of 
all. I called it Menander Euripides Theocritus 
Thucydides. It had likes for the taste of my fingers 
when I did dip them into the pan of milk on the 
rock and then put them in its mouth. Its woolly 
tail did wiggle joy wiggles. And I did dance on my 
toes. I felt such a big amount of satisfaction feels 
— having a lamb to mother. 

I am getting quite a big family now. After I 
did dip my fingers in the milk for Menander Eurip- 
ides Theocritus Thucydides, I was going goes to 
see about getting a brandy bottle somewhere and 
a nipple, so this baby lamb could have a bottle to 
nurse like other babies hereabouts. When I did 
make a start to go, Aidan of lona come from Lin- 
disfarne did say, "You are not going away before 
you name the others, are you.^" Of course I was 
not, and he said Menander Euripides Theocritus 
Thucydides was full up of milk for to-day, and I 
could bring his bottle on the morrow. 

Then I did make begins to name the other lambs. 
They were dear and so dear. First one I did come 
to I did name Plutarch Demosthenes; the next one 
I did name Marcus Aurelius. And one came close 
by Aidan of lona come from Lindisfarne, and I 
called it Epicurus Pythagoras. One did look a little 
more little than 'the others: I called him Anacreon 
Herodotus. One was more big than all the others. 



THE STORY OF OPAL i6i 

I named him Homer Archimedes Chilon. He gave 
his tail a wiggle and came close to his mother. One 
had a more short tail and a question look in his 
eyes. I called him Sophocles Diogenes. And one 
more I called Periander Pindar, and one was Solon 
Thales, and the last one of all that had not yet a 
name, I did call him TibuUus Theognis. He was a 
very fuzzy lamb and he had very long legs. 

The shepherd did have likes for the names I did 
give to his little lambs, and the names I did give to 
his sheep a long time ago. And to-day, when he did 
tell me how he did have likes for their names, I did 
tell him how I have likes for them too, and how I 
have thinks to learn more about them when I do 
grow up more tall. I told him how I did sing the 
spell of the words to the fishes that live in the sing- 
ing creek where the willows grew. After I said 
good-bye to all the other lambs, I did kiss Menan- 
der Euripides Theocritus Thucydides on the nose. 
I have thinks every eventime I will kiss him good- 
night, because maybe he does have lonesome feels 
too, and maybe he does have longs for kisses like 
the longs I do have for them every night-time. 

Before I was come to the house we do live in, I 
did make a stop by the singing creek where the 
willows grow. I did print a message on a leaf. It 
was for the soul of William Shakespeare. I tied it 
on a willow branch. Then I did go by the cathedral 
to say thank prayers for Menander Euripides 
Theocritus Thucydides. And I did have remem- 



i62 THE STORY OF OPAL 

bers that this was the going-away day of Reine 
Marie Amelie in 1866 and Queen EHzabeth in 
1603. And I did say a thank prayer for the good- 
ness of them. It was near dark-time. There were 
little whispers in the woods and shadows with 
velvet fingers. I did sing, "Sanctus, sanctus, sanc- 
tus, Dominus Deus." 

Before I did come on to the house we live in, I did 
go aside to have sees of a cream lily that has its 
growing near unto the cathedral. I have watched 
the leafing of that lily, and I have watched its 
budding. A long time I have had thinks about it. 
To-day its blooming-time was come. There it was. 
I went close unto it. My soul was full of thank feels. 
Ever since the day when Peter Paul Rubens did 
go away, I have looked for his soul in tree-tops and 
all about. Now I have knows his soul does love to 
linger by this lily. I did kneel by it and say a thank 
prayer for the blooming of this fleur. Peter Paul 
Rubens's soul does love to linger near. If ever I go 
from here, I will take with me this lily plant. I did 
have feels that my dear Peter Paul Rubens was 
very near this eventime. 

To-day is more rain come again. I like rain. I 
like the music patters it does make. I like to have 
feels of it on my head. When it rains, I like to go 
barefooted. I like to feel the clean mud by the lane 
ooze up between my toes. When I did see the rain 
coming down in so fast a way, I did go to the barn. 
And after I did have them off, I did put my shoes 



THE STORY OF OPAL 163 

and stockings in the hay. I went out to talk with 
Michael Angelo Sanzio Raphael about this day 
being the borning day of Sanzio Raphael in 1483. 
Then I came down by the lane. I was so glad to 
have my shoes and stockings off. The feel was so 
good. Having my shoes and stockings off made 
my heels feel like they were getting wings. 

I went up and down the lane. Brave Horatius 
came a-foUowing after. I had thinks to go see how 
was Minerva in the hen-house. I saw her feathers 
were more fluffy, and there was some more heads 
than hers in her nest. There was the heads of the 
little chickens I did pick out names for before they 
was yet hatched. And now I cannot tell them 
apart. Minerva had one baby chicken to hatch 
four days ago, and one baby chicken three days 
ago, and one more baby chicken two days ago. I 
heard the grandpa say it was a puzzle what was 
making that hen to have her chickens begin hatch- 
ing so soon and then no more to hatch until to-day. 
Too, I have thinks it is a puzzle. But any way she 
is going to have fifteen chickens, because that day 
a little time ago I took one egg each from those 
hens that was set before she was, so Minerva would 
have the fifteen children I had already picked out 
names for. 

I did tell Minerva again the names I did pick out 
for all her children before they was yet hatched. I 
told her Edmund Spenser and John Fletcher and 
Francis Beaumont and Jean Racine and Sir Walter 
Raleigh and Jean Moliere and Sir Francis Bacon 



i64 THE STORY OF OPAL 

and Nicholas Boileau and Sir Philip Sidney and 
Jean de la Fontaine and Ben Jonson and Oliver 
Goldsmith and Cardinal Richelieu and Samuel 
Taylor Coleridge and Pius VII. And Minerva had 
joy feels when I did tell her, and she ate all the 
grain in my hand while I was telling her. 

Minerva is a very nice hen and it is so nice she 
has so many children at once. I so do like to pick 
out names for children. Now I have thinks there is 
needs for me to hurry to get those christening robes 
done for her children, being as they are hatching 
now. On the day of their christening I will carry 
them in a little basket to the cathedral. There is 
needs to carry little chickens in a basket, for they 
are delicate. To-day I did show Minerva the little 
cap with ruffles on it that I have just made for her 
to wear to the cathedral at their christening. I 
made it like Jenny Strong's morning-cap with ruffles 
on It. 

After I did talk some more with Minerva, and 
she did chuckle some more chuckles, I did make a 
start to go to the cathedral to have a thank service 
for the borning of Sanzio Raphael in 1483. As I did 
go, I went aside to the pig-pen. Every time my 
way goes near to the way that goes to the pig-pen 
I do go that way. I so go to take a peep at Aphro- 
dite. She does have such a motherly look with those 
dear baby-pigs about her. How nice it must be to 
be a mother-pig. It must be a big amount of sat- 
isfaction, having so many babies at one time. 



CHAPTER XXII 

How Solomon Grundy Falls Sick a^id Grows Well again; and 
Minerva's Chickens are Christened; and the Pensee Girl, 
with the Far- Away Look in her Eyes, Finds Thirty -and' 
Three Bunches of Flowers. 

To-day I went not to school. For a long time 
after breakfast the mamma did have me to cut 
potatoes into pieces. To-night and to-morrow 
night the grown-ups will plant the pieces of pota- 
toes I cut to-day. Then by-and-by — after some 
long time — the pieces of potato with eyes on them 
will have baby potatoes under the ground. Up 
above the ground they will be growing leaves and 
flowers. One must leave an eye on every piece of 
potato one plants in the ground to grow. It won't 
grow if you don't. It can't see how to grow without 
its eye. All day to-day I did be careful to leave an 
eye on every piece. And I did have meditations 
about what things the eyes of potatoes do see there 
in the ground. I have thinks they do have seeing 
of black velvet moles and large earthworms that 
do get short in a quick way. And potato flowers 
above the ground do see the doings of the field — 
and maybe they do look away and see the willows 
that grow by the singing creek. I do wonder if 
potato plants do have longings to dabble their 
toes. I have supposes they do just like I do. Being 



1 66 THE STORY OF OPAL 

a potato must be interest — specially the having 
so many eyes. I have longings for more eyes. 
There is much to see In this world all about. Every 
day I do see beautiful things everywhere I do go. 

To-day It was near eventlme — the time I did 
have all those potatoes ready for plants. Then I did 
go to see Solomon Grundy In the pig-pen. I did 
take a sugar-lump in my apron pocket for his dear 
mother, Aphrodite. She had appreciations and 
well looks. But the looks of Solomon Grundy — 
they were not well looks. He did lay so still in a 
quiet way. I gave to him three looks. I felt a lump 
come in my throat. His looks they were so dlif erent. 
I made a run for the wood-box — the wood-box I 
did bring before for the gettlng-In of Brave Hora- 
tius to service in the pig-pen. I did step on it in 
getting Solomon Grundy out of the pig-pen. I did 
have fears if I did it in jumps, as I always do, the 
jumps might bother the feelings of Solomon Grundy. 
So I did have needs for that box. It Is such a help. 
Every time I do get a place fixed in the pig-pen so 
some of the pigs can get out to go to walks and to 
go to the cathedral service, the grown-ups at the 
ranch-house do always fix the boards back again. 
So a box is helps to get the little pigs that are n't 
too big over the top. 

When I did have Solomon Grundy over the top, 
I did cuddle him up in my gray calico apron. I 
have thinks he does like the blue one best. But 
to-day he had not seeings it was n't the blue one I 



THE STORY OF OPAL 167 

had on. He did not give his baby squeaks. He was 
only stillness. I did have fears that sickness was 
upon him. He has lost that piece of asafiditee I did 
tie around his neck the other day. That was the 
last piece I did have. It was the little piece that 
was left of the big piece that the mamma did tie 
around my neck, and I did make divides with my 
friends. But Solomon Grundy — he has lost his 
share both times. He does lose It In a quick way. 
And I did have no Castoria to give him, because 
the mamma has gone and put away the baby's 
bottle of Castoria where I cannot find It. 

I did not have knowings what to do for him. But 
I did have thinks the man that wears gray neckties 
and is kind to mice would have knowings what to 
do for the sickness of Solomon Grundy. I made 
starts to the mill by the far woods. Brave Horatius 
was waiting at the barn. He gave his tail two wags 
and followed after. We went by Michael Angelo 
Sanzio Raphael. I did tell him the baby in my 
arms was sick. I said a little prayer over his head. 
We went along the lane. When we were come to 
Good King Edward I and lovely Queen Eleanor, we 
made stops. I did tell them of the sickness of the 
baby. I said a little prayer for his getting well. 
And I did hold him up for their blessing. Then we 
went on, and Brave Horatius came a-following 
after. When we were come to the ending of the 
lane, I said another little prayer. Then we went on. 
When we were come near unto the altar of Good 



i68 THE STORY OF OPAL 

King Edward I, I said another little prayer. Then 
we went on. Elizabeth Barrett Browning was in 
the woods, and she went with us. She mostly does 
so. And we went on. 

By-and-by my arms was getting tired. Solomon 
Grundy, now that he is older grown, does get a little 
heavy when I carry him quite a long ways. When 
I was come to the far end of the near woods, I met 
the man that wears gray neckties and is kind to 
mice. He smiled the gentle smile he always does 
smile, and he took Solomon Grundy into his arms. 
I have thinks he did see the tiredness that was in 
my arms. When he sat down on a log with the dear 
pig, I said I had fears Solomon Grundy was sick. 
He said he did too. But he smoothed my curls back 
and he said, "Don't you worry; he will get well." 
Hearing him say that made me have better feels. 

Men are such a comfort — men that wear gray 
neckties and are kind to mice. One I know. He 
looks kind looks upon the forest and he does love 
the grand fir trees that do grow there. I have seen 
him stretch out his arms to them just like I do do in 
the cathedral. He does have kindness for the little 
folks that do live about the grand trees. His ways 
are ways of gentleness. All my friends have likes 
for him, and so had Solomon Grundy. To-day he 
said he would take Solomon Grundy back to camp 
by the mill to his bunk-house. A warming he did 
need, so he said, and he said he would wrap him in 
his blanket and take care of him until morningtime 



THE STORY OF OPAL 169 

was come. Then he did go the way that goes to 
the far woods and I did go the way that does go to 
the cathedral. I so went to have a little thank 
service for the getting well of Solomon Grundy. I 
do have knowings he will be well when morning- 
time is come. With me to the cathedral did go 
Elizabeth Barrett Browning and Brave Horatius. 

This morning before breakfast I did go to the 
cathedral to say thanks for the goodness of one 
William Wordsworth, for this is the day of his 
borning in 1770. With me did go Thomas Chatter- 
ton Jupiter Zeus. And Brave Horatius came a-fol- 
lowing after. 

After the morning's work was done, I took my 
little basket most full of christening robes to the 
pen-place near the hen-house where is Minerva and 
her fourteen baby chickens. One baby chicken 
did n't hatch. I had most enough christening robes 
ready on yesterday afternoon but one. When I did 
go to sing her baby to sleeps, Elsie did help me to 
fix that one while I did carry in some wood for her. 
She put a little ruffle of lace on it and a little blue 
bow of ribbon. It looked very nice. I did have 
thinks how nice they would look if all of the chris- 
tening robes for the baby chickens of Minerva 
did have little bows of ribbon on them. 

Elsie had asks what was my thoughts about, 
and I did tell her. And she did say she had thinks 
that way too. And she did make a go to her work- 



lyo THE STORY OF OPAL 

basket that was under the shelf where does set the 
bottle of vaseline that her young husband does 
smooth back his pumpadoor with. That vaseline 
jar is most empty again. When Elsie did find some 
little ribbons in her work-basket, she did go and 
raise up the trunk-lid and she did find some more 
little ribbons in the tray of the trunk. She tied 
them all into little bows. And some were pink and 
some were lavande and some were blue and some 
were rose. There was enough for every baby 
chicken to have one on his christening robe. And 
I did sew them all on at night-time on yester- 
day when the mamma did put me under the bed. 
Light enough came from the lamp on the kitchen 
table so I could have sees to sew them all on. 

When we was come near unto the cathedral, I 
made a stop to put on their christening-robes. 
Nicolas Boileau and Jean Moliere did have lavande 
ribbon bows on theirs. They waited waits in a 
corner of the basket while I did put on the others. 
Sir Walter Raleigh had a little pink bow on his. He 
would not keep still while I was getting him into 
his robes. He peeped three times. But Sir Francis 
Bacon was more fidgety than he was. It took quite 
a time to get his christening robe on. Ben Jonson 
did wear the christening robe with the ruffle of lace 
around it, and before I did get him put back in the 
basket there, he did catch his toe in that ruffle of 
lace. Then he peeped. I took his toe out of the 
ruffle, and put a christening robe with a rose ribbon 



THE STORY OF OPAL 171 

bow on It on Francis Beaumont and one like It on 
John Fletcher, because their names was together in 
the book Angel Mother did write In. 

After I did get little brown Oliver Goldsmith and 
all the rest of the children of Minerva Into their 
christening robes, then I did take out of my pocket 
her little white cap with the ruffles on It like the 
ruffles on the morning-cap of Jenny Strong. I tied 
It under Minerva's bill. She was a sweet picture In 
it coming down the cathedral aisle by my side. 
Minerva Is a plump hen of gentle ways. It Is not 
often she does talk, but she did chuckle all of the 
time while her baby chickens was getting chris- 
tened. Brave Horatlus stood by the altar and Lars 
Porsena of Cluslum did perch upon his back. 
Luclan Horace Ovid Virgil did sit on a log close by. 
And Mathllde Plantagenet watched from the pas- 
ture-bars. Menander Euripides Theocritus Thu- 
cydldes did walk by my side when we went goes to 
have asks for the blessing of Saint Louis on all 
Minerva's baby chickens after they were chris- 
tened. Then I did sing"HosannainExcelsis." And 
Ben Jonson peeped and so did Francis Beaumont 
and Pius VH. He was wiggling so that his christen- 
ing robe was most off him. I put it on again. Then 
I did stop to straighten up Minerva's cap with the 
ruffles on it. It had had a slip-back. Then we had 
more prayers. Afterward we all did have goes back 
to the chicken-yard pen. I took oflf Minerva's cap 
so it would be clean for cathedral service on Sun- 



172 THE STORY OF OPAL 

days. Then I put her and all her children back In 
their pen, after they did have their christening 
robes off. 

After I did give Minerva some good-bye pats 
and advices about bringing up her children, then I 
did go goes to the house of Sadie McKibben. Me- 
nander Euripides Theocritus Thucydides did walk 
by my side and Brave Horatius came a-following 
after. When I was come to the house of Sadie 
McKibben, there was Dear Love. They was glad 
we was come, and they had likes for Minerva's 
little cap with the ruffles around it like the morn- 
ing-cap of Jenny Strong. Dear Love did give 
Thomas Chatterton Jupiter Zeus some pats on his 
nice white paws. 

And they did talk on. I did have hears of them 
saying of the pensee girl with the far-away look in 
her eyes, that is come again to visit her aunt of the 
gray calico dress with the black bow at its neck. I 
was glad she is come again. I whispered to Thomas 
Chatterton Jupiter Zeus about my glad feels in his 
left ear. He cuddled up more close. We listened 
more listens. Dear Love too did say to Sadie Mc- 
Kibben as how it is the man of the long step that 
whistles most all of the time has great love for the 
pensee girl with the far-away look in her eyes; and 
how it is he is afraid to speak to her about this 
great love he has for her. And more Dear Love did 
say of how it is he does pick bunches of flowers in 
the woods for her and then he does lay them by an 



THE STORY OF OPAL 173 

old log because he has too shy feels to take them on 
to her. 

Thomas Chatterton Jupiter Zeus did stick out 
his right front foot. I gave it a pat, and I did give 
him some throat rubs, — that he had likes for, — and 
all of the time I was having thinks. I looked looks 
out the side window of the houseofSadieMcKibben. 
A white cloud was sailing in the sky. A little wind 
was in the woods. It was calling, "Petite Fran- 
9oise, come, petite Frangoise." I did tell Dear 
Love and Sadie McKibben there was needs for me 
to hurry away. They did have understanding, and 
Sadie McKibben did say it was not long I was stay- 
ing to-day, and she would wait waits for my return 
coming on the morrow. Dear Love did tell me of the 
pieces she did find in the top of her trunk that were 
waiting waits to be made into christening robes for 
little folks that now do have their borning-time. I 
was glad, for there is needs of more. 

After I did say good-bye, I went goes on to the 
woods. I did not follow the trail that does go to the 
moss-box where I do leave letters on leaves for the 
fairies. The wind was calling. I followed after it. 
It was not adown the path that does lead to the 
nursery. It was calling over logs in the way that 
does lead to where is that old log with the bunches 
of flowers by it and under its edges. They was the 
flowers that the man of the long step that whistles 
most all of the time did gather for the pensee girl 
with the far-away look in her eyes. Some of the 



174 THE STORY OF OPAL 

bunches of flowers was all faded. It is days a long 
time since he did put them there, and it is only a 
little time since he did put the last ones there. 

I set down on the moss my basket that I did 
carry Minerva's baby chickens to christening in. 
Then I made begins. First I put some moss in the 
basket, then I did put in some of the bunches of 
flowers. I put in the most faded ones because they 
had been waiting waits the longest. Then we all did 
go in a hurry to the house of her aunt of the gray 
calico dress with the black bow at its neck. 

The aunt was not there, and we were glad; but 
the pensee girl with the far-away look in her eyes 
was there. She came to the door when we did tap 
upon its handle. I did tell her all in one breath 
that wc was making begins to bring the flowers 
that the man of the long step that whistles most all 
of the time did gather for her on many days. We 
gave her explanations how it was too shy feels he 
had to bring them to her himself, so he did lay 
them by the old log. I told her as how it was we 
did bring the most faded ones first because they 
was waiting waits the longest; and she did take 
them all up in her arms. And I told her my dog's 
name was Brave Horatius and he was a fine dog, 
and that Thomas Chatterton Jupiter Zeus was a 
most lovely wood-rat, and I held out his white 
paw for her to have feels of; but he did pull it back 
and cuddle his nose up close to my curls. I told her 
how it was he was shy, too, and when he had knows 



THE STORY OF OPAL 175 

of her better he would let her pat his nice white 
paws. 

Then I did take my basket and go goes in a hurry 
back to get the flowers. I did carry the next most 
old ones to her. And she was glad for them. She 
was waiting waits for me on the steps of the house 
of her aunt of the gray calico dress with the black 
bow at its neck. She was ready to go back with us 
to the log where the flowers was; and there was 
joy-lights in her eyes. While we did go along, I 
did tell her more about the little animal and bird 
folks that do live in the woods and I did tell her 
about the great love the man of the long step that 
whistles most all of the time does have for her. 

Quietness was upon her, and we did walk on in 
a slow way. A beetle went across the path and a 
salal bush did nod itself to us. The wind made 
little soft whispers, and by-and-by we was come 
to the log. She did kneel down by it, and she looked 
looks for a long time at all the bunches of flowers. 
And I did say a little prayer and Thomas Chat- 
terton Jupiter Zeus did squeak a little squeak. I 
made counts of the bunches of flowers, and they 
were thirty-and-three. I saw a chipmunk, and I 
followed him after to see how many stripes he did 
have on his back and where was his home; and on 
the way I saw other birds and I followed them after 
on tiptoes to have sees where they were having goes 
to. And in the bushes there was a little nest with 
four eggs in it with speckles on them. I did have 



176 THE STORY OF OPAL 

thinks there was needs for me to pick out names for 
the little birds that will hatch out of those eggs. 
This is a very busy world to live in. There is much 
needs for picking out names for things. 

I am very happy. I have been to the cathedral 
to pray again that the angels will bring a baby to 
Dear Love soon. 



CHAPTER XXIII 

How Opal and Brave Horatius Go on Explores and Visit the 
Hospital. — How the Mamma Dyes Clothes and Opal Dyes 
Clementine. 

My legs do feel some tired this eventime. I've 
been most everywhere to-day. I so have been going 
to tell the plant-folks and the flower-folks and the 
birds about this day being the going-away day of 
one William Shakespeare in 1616. Before yet 
breakfast-time was come, I did go to the cathedral 
to say prayers of thanks for all the writings he did 
write. With me did go Brave Horatius and Lars 
Porsena of Clusium and Thomas Chatterton Ju- 
piter Zeus and Lucian Horace Ovid Virgil. 

When we were come again to the house, they did 
wait waits while I did go to do the morning works. 
After the morning works were done, I did put 
pieces of bread and butter in papers in my pockets 
for all of us. I put some milk in the bottle for 
Menander Euripides Theocritus Thucydides. He 
was waiting waits for me by the pasture-bars. He 
is a most woolly lamb. He was glad for his break- 
fast and he was glad to have knows about this day. 
While I was telling them all there what day this is, 
Plutarch Demosthenes made a little jump onto a 
little stump. He looked a look about and made 
a jump-off. Sophocles Diogenes came a-following 



178 THE STORY OF OPAL 

after. They both did make some more jumps. 
Their ways are ways of playfulness. They are dear 
lambs. 

While I was teUing them all, Menander Euripides 
Theocritus Thucydides did in some way get the 
nipple oflF his bottle, and the rest of the milk did 
spill itself out the bottle. I hid the bottle away by a 
rock. Menander Euripides Theocritus Thucydides 
did follow me after. He does follow me many 
wheres I do go to. We went all on. We saw fleurs 
and I did stop moments to have talks with them. 
I looked for other fleurs that I had longs to see. 
Everywhere that we did go I did look looks for 
teverin and yellow eclaire and pink mahonille and 
mauve and morgeline. When Brave Horatius had 
askings in his eyes for what I was looking, I did 
give to him explanations. He looked looks back at 
me from his gentle eyes. In his looks he did say, 
they are not hereabout. We went on. We went to 
foret d'Ermenonville and foret de Chantilly. We 
went adown Lounette to where it flows into Non- 
ette — and we went on. Everywhere there were 
little whisperings of earth-voices. They all did say 
of the writes of William Shakespeare. And there 
were more talkings. I lay my ear close to the earth 
where the grasses grew close together. I did listen. 
The wind made ripples on the grass as it went over. 
There were voices from out the earth. And the 
things of their saying were the things of gladness of 
growing. And there was music. And in the music 



THE STORY OF OPAL 179 

there was sky-twinkles and earth-tinkles. That was 
come of the joy of living. I have thinks all the 
grasses growing there did feel glad feels from the 
tips of their green arms to their toe roots in the 
ground. 

And Brave Horatlus and the rest of us did n't 
get home until after supper-time. The folks was 
gone to the house of Elsie. I made a hunt for some 
supper for Brave Horatius. I found some and I 
put it in his special dish. Then I came again into 
the house to get some bread and milk. There was a 
jar of blackberry jam on the cook-table. It had 
interest looks. Just when I happened to be having 
all my fingers in the jar of blackberry-jam, there 
was rumblings of distress come from the back yard. 
I climbed onto the flour barrel and looked a look 
out the window. There near unto my chum's 
special supper-dish sat the pet crow with top- 
heavy appears. There was reasons for his forlorn 
looks, for Brave Horatius had advanced to the rear 
of Lars Porsena of Clusium and pulled out his 
tail-feathers. 

I have had no case like this before. I felt dis- 
turbs. I had not knowings what to do for it. I had 
some bandages and some mentholatum in my 
pocket. I took Lars Porsena of Clusium — all that 
was left of him with his tail-feathers gone — and I 
sat down on the steps. First I took some mentho- 
latum and put it on a piece of bandage. I put the 
piece of bandage onto Lars Porsena of Clusium 



1 80 1TIE STORY OF OPAL 

where his tail-feathers did come out. Then I did 
take the long white bandage in the middle, and I 
did wrap it about Lars Porsena of Clusium from 
back to front — in under his wings and twice on 
top, so the bandage would stay in place on the end 
of him where his tail-feathers came out. 

Then I did make a start to the hospital. I did 
have wonders how long the needs would be for 
Lars Porsena of Clusium to be there before his tail 
would grow well again. I only did have going a 
little way when I did meet with the man that wears 
gray neckties and is kind to mice. He looked a 
look at me and he looked a look at Lars Porsena of 
Clusium in my arms. Then he did have askings 
why was it Lars Porsena was in bandages. I told 
him explanations all about it. He pondered on the 
matter. Then he picked me and Lars Porsena up 
and set us down on a stump. He told mc there was 
no needs for me to have wonders about how long 
the need would be for Lars Porsena of Clusium to 
be in the hospital with bandages on him. He did 
talk on in his gentle way of how it is birds that do 
lose their tail-feathers do grow them on again. He 
so said and I did have understanding. 

Then he did take up Lars Porsena of Clusium in 
his arms. And he unwrapped him from front to 
back and back to front. When the bandage was all 
off him, Lars Porsena of Clusium did give himself 
a stretch and his wings a little shake. And I said a 
little prayer for his getting well and a new tail 



THE STORY OF OPAL i8i 

soon. And the man that wears gray neckties and 
Is kind to mice said Amen. Then we came home. 

To-day was dyeing day. The mamma dyed. She 
dyed clothes — old ones. First she washed them in 
the tub. Then she put them in the boiler on the 
stove. In the boiler was beautiful blue water. I 
know because I climbed on the stove-hearth and 
peeked in. The mamma did n't make this water 
blue with balls like she does the rench water for 
the clothes on wash-days. She made this water blue 
with stuff out of an envelope. I had sees of her 
tear its corner off, and the blue little specks came 
out of that envelope in a quick way. The specks 
so did come in a more hurry way when she did 
give the envelope some shakes. All the clothes 
the mamma did carry from the wash-tub to the 
boiler — all those clothes was blue when she took 
them out; and afterwards the blue was yet with 
them and they hung upon the line. I see them 
quiver blue quivers when the wind blows. 

After she did hang them there on the line, the 
mamma did leave the boiler of dye-blue water on 
the stove. And she is gone goes to the house of her 
mother by the meeting of the roads. She told me 
to watch the house and let the fire go out. It so is 
gone a long time ago, and I keep watch. The blue 
water in the boiler has cold feels now. I stood upon 
the stove and I put my arm way down in it, and it 
was coldness. First I did only touch touches on the 



1 82 THE STORY OF OPAL 

water with my finger. It was warmness then. That 
was just when the mamma did go. 

She is hours and hours gone now. I have been 
keeping watches of the house hke she did say for 
me to do when she went away. And in-between 
times I have been reading reads in the books Angel 
Mother and Angel Father did write in. I have been 
screwtineyesing the spell of words. Now I am 
going to have dyeing day like the mamma did have 
on this morning. It is so much of fun to lift things 
up and down in blue water. On wash-days the 
mamma has me to do it much. She calls it rench- 
ing the clothes. When it's blue water in a boiler, 
it's dyeing them. 

I have been dyeing like the mamma dyed this 
morning. First I did dye the mamma's bag of 
blueing balls. That bag was getting pale looks. 
Next I did dip in the mamma's clothes-pin bag. 
It was brownness before. I have not sure feels yet 
what color it is going to be since it has had its 
dye. I took all the clothes-pins out first. Then I did 
give them all a dip. They did bob about in a funny 
way. I made whirls in the dye-blue water with 
my fingers, so the clothes-pins would make some 
more bobs. It was very nice, standing there on top 
the cook-stove watching the bobs they made in 
the boiler. 

Then I made a start to dye handles. First I 
dipped in the butcher-knife handle. Then I did 
give the dipper-handle a dip. I had carefuls to 



THE STORY OF OPAL 183 

make it go only half-way. Then I did give the 
handle of the potato-masher a dip. And I gave the 
hammer-handle a dip In the dye-blue water. 

Clementine came in a walk up step on the back 
porch. She looked a look in. She is such a friendly 
Plymouth Rock hen. She walked right into our 
house and came in a hop up by the dye-blue water. 
She so does like my blue calico apron. She hops 
up on my knee when I sit down to talk to the 
chickens in the chicken park. I had thinks being as 
she has likes for my blue calico apron she would 
have likes for blue feathers; so I did give her a 
gentle dip in the dye-blue water and two more. 
She walked right out our front door without even a 
thank chuckle. I never had knows of her to do so 
before. The dye-blue water was waiting waits. 

Next I dipped the Plymouth Rock rooster in. 
He did object to being dyed blue. He was quite 
fidgety. I had decides not to coax any more folks 
from the chicken yard to get dyed blue feathers. 
I looked looks about the house we live in. I had 
seeing of a box of matches the mamma did leave on 
a chair in the bedroom. The mamma has said I 
must n't touch a box of matches on the cupboard 
shelf. And I don't. But she did n't say I must n't 
touch them when she leaves them on a chair. So I 
have took the box of matches and It has had Its 
dip. It has a limp feel. I have put It on the back 
steps to get Its form again. And all the matches 
that was in the box have had their dips in the dye- 



1 84 THE STORY OF OPAL 

blue water. I have laid them in rows on the grass 
to have a dry. 

And now I do have thinks how nice it will be on 
next time when dyeing day is come if the mamma 
does have seeing as how I could be helps — being 
as I now do have so much knowing of the ways of 
dyeing. I have thinks a big amount of helps I could 
be. Now while the things I have dyed do dry, I am 
going goes to the cathedral to have a long service 
there, for this is the horning day of Saint Louis in 
1 21 5. And many wheres there is needs for me to 
go to tell the plant-folk all about this being the day 
of his borning. And too it is the horning day of 
Oliver Cromwell in 1599, and the borning day of 
Padre Martini in 1706, and it is the going-away 
day of Torquato Tasso in 1595. The winds sing of 
these. And the great pine tree is saying a poem 
about this day. 



CHAPTER XXIV 

How the Mamma's Wish Came True, and how Opal was 
Spanked for it; and of the Likes which Aphrodite Had for a 
Clean Place to Live in. 

In the morning of to-day, before I did eat my 
bowl of mush and milk for breakfast, I did go to 
the cathedral to say thank prayers for the good 
works of Leonardo da Vinci, for this is the day of 
his going away in 1519. When after-breakfast 
works was done, the mamma did have me to churn. 
While I did make the handle with the cross sticks on 
it go up and down in the churn, I did have hearing 
of the little glad songs all the fleurs were singing 
out in the field. When the butter was come, the 
mamma did take it out the churn. She put all 
the little yellow lumps in a wood bowl. Then she 
gave to them pats and more pats. When she got 
through patting the butter into its proper form, the 
mamma did throw the butter-paddle over on the 
cook-table. She said she hoped and wished that 
she would never see that butter-paddle again. She 
won't. After I heard her say that, I floated it away 
in the creek. It made a nice boat. It did sail along 
in a bobby way. I took Solomon Grundy with me. 
I just let him dabble his toes. When he is an older 
pig, he can wade right out into the creek with me. 
His eyes did look bright to-day while I was telling 



1 86 THE STORY OF OPAL 

him what we was going to do when he got to be a 
bigger pig. 

When I was come back to the house we Hve in, 
the mamma did spank me. Then she did send me 
to get that butter-paddle in a hurry. It was making 
bobs by the reeds by the old rail fence where the 
singing creek goes under and on. I brought it back 
to her and then she did take and spank me again. 
Now I have wonders about things — the mamma 
did say she wished she would never see it again. 

After I did mind the baby and sleeps was come 
upon it, then I did walk into the garden. I went 
there to find out how much things had grown since 
last time I was there. First I pulled up a bean 
plant. It looked a little more big — the two peek- 
a-boo leaves did. After I looked close looks at it, I 
did plant it again. Then I pulled up a radish. It 
was doing nicely and I ate it. I forgot to give it 
close looks before I put it in my mouth to see how 
much it did grow since that last time. After I 
swallowed it, I pulled up another radish to find out. 
It was doing well. I put it back in the garden again 
and I went to the house and got it a drink of butter- 
milk. I carried it out to it in the papa's shaving- 
mug. There was more drink than one radish needs, 
so I did give four onions and two more radishes sips 
of buttermilk. And I did give to the papa's shaving- 
mug some washes in the brook, and I put it back in 
Its place on the shelf again. Just then the mamma 
had comes into the house. And there was more 




A PATH TO "explores IN THE FAR WOODS 



THE STORY OF OPAL 187 

spanks. The back part of me does feel sore feels. I 
have thinks I will go and give geology lectures to 
the folks in the nursery, and too I will sing them 
lullaby songs and the bird and fleur chant de fete 
de grandpere of niverolle and ortolan and verdier 
and Hourneau and nenufar and eclaire and ulmaire 
and fraxinelle. 

I so have gone goes, and the folks in the nursery 
was glad for food and songs. And afterwards I 
went more on into the woods. There was little 
whispers among the leaves. And there was a song 
In the tall fir tree-tops. And a pine tree was saying 
a poem. I listened listens. Then I went goes on. 
I saw a man coming. He did take long steps. When 
he was nearer come, I had seeing it was the man 
that wears gray neckties and is kind to mice. I 
did go adown the path in a more quick way. He 
did have seeing of my coming. Then I did hide 
behind a tree. He came on. When he was near the 
tree he did say, " I thought I saw someone coming. 
Guess I was mistaken. I think I'll take these 
splints for the hospital back to the mill." 

When I did hear him say that, I ran in a quick 
way back to the path. He did n't see me. He was 
looking long looks away. Then I did give his coat- 
sleeve a gentle pull, and he did whistle, and he did 
ask me If there was needs for splints at the hospital. 
And I told him all in one breath how much needs 
there was. He had me to tell him all over again 
about the little chicken that did have Its leg hurt. 



1 88 THE STORY OF OPAL 

And I gave him explanations how it was Sir Fran- 
cis Bacon did have his leg hurt in a real bad way, 
and the big folks was going to kill him, but they 
gave him to me for my very own because he was n't 
any good any more. 

And the man that wears gray neckties and is 
kind to mice did have understanding, and he went 
goes with me to the hospital that I do have for little 
hurt folks, at Saint-Germain-en-Laye. While I did 
hold little Sir Francis Bacon, the man that wears 
gray neckties and is kind to mice did fix the splints 
on his hurt leg in a gentle way. Then I did pray 
prayers for his getting well soon. Brave Horatius 
did bark Amen — and one of the most tall pine 
trees was saying a poem. 

After morning's works was done I was washing 
out clothes for the baby. I thought what a nice 
christening robe one of the baby's dresses would 
make for one of the newbabypigs. The mamma had 
not thoughts that way. When the dress was on the 
line, I did go by the chicken-yard to have sees how 
the children of Minerva are growing. Pius VII is 
getting some tail-feathers. He comes to feed from 
my hand every day, and he likes to go to school in 
my little basket. He has not been for a whole week 
now, because the last time I took him he peeped 
and teacher sent us home. Next day I took Francis 
Beaumont and John Fletcher, and they was quiet. 

Last time I took them to cathedral service, Ben 



THE STORY OF OPAL 189 

Jonson pecked Sir Walter Raleigh on the head. I 
said prayers over them for peace between them. 
Then I put one in a little box on one log and I put 
the other one in a little box on the other log. The 
boxes was alike. To-day I had sees of these two 
drinking out of the water-pan together. Peace was 
between them. She is a nice mother-hen that has 
got all her children growed up. And little Edmund 
Spenser was scratching for a worm near his little 
brown brother Oliver Goldsmith. And all Minerva's 
family was growing well. 

I felt satisfaction feels about it, and I sat down 
on a log to pick out names for the twins I am go- 
ing to have when I grow up. I picked out a goodly 
number of names, but I could not have decides 
which ones. I had thinks I would wait a little time, 
and I had remembers it was time for me to be 
making another portrait of Solomon Grundy. So 
I went around by the pig-pen to get Solomon 
Grundy. I said comfort words to Aphrodite. I 
told her how it was I was just taking Solomon 
Grundy to make a portrait of him, and as how I 
was going to make it in the same way and in the 
same place as I did make her portrait quite a time 
ago. She grunted a short grunt and then a long 
grunt. Sometimes it is difficult to understand pig 
talk. But her next grunt — it was very plain. It 
was just an invitation to make Solomon Grundy's 
portrait there by her side, and no needs of taking 
him out of the pig-pen. 



I90 THE STORY OF OPAL 

I told her yes, I would make his portrait right 
there by her, and I did bring many brown bracken 
ferns after I did have the pig-pen cleaned out. 
Most every day I do give the pig-pen a rake-out, 
and bring some clean dirt from the garden. I have 
thinks pigs do have likes for clean places to live in. 
It brings more Inspirations to their souls. And, too, 
every day Aphrodite does have likes for her feed- 
ing-trough to be scrubbed clean all over. And I 
have planted ferns and fleurs all around her pig- 
pen. It is a very nice place, with sweet smells of 
grass and fleurs. And Aphrodite was glad for the 
brushing I did give her to-day. 

I've got a brush — a nice new brush — a good 
new brush. It is for to brush my pig friends. They 
so do need brushings. This new brush the man 
that wears gray neckties and is kind to mice did 
get for me last time he did go to the mill town. The 
pigs do like the feels the new brush does make upon 
their backs. The clean feels it does give to them are 
pleasant to their souls. 

After I did give her the brushing, I did get moss 
and cover the clean feed-trough with it. That 
made a nice place to sit and draw Solomon Grundy's 
portrait by his mother there. I drew him lying by 
her side. Then I had him to stand on his feet, and 
I drew one of him that way. I had it almost done. 
There was a little noise. It was the step of some- 
one going by. I had not knows who it was. I went 
on drawing Solomon Grundy's ears and his curly 



THE STORY OF OPAL 191 

tail. Then I had knows what it was. It was that 
chore boy come to feed the pigs — and he poured 
all that bucket of swill on top the moss and Solomon 
Grundy's portrait and me. 

The feels I did feel — they was drippy ones. 
And I did have decides to make that other por- 
trait of Solomon Grundy another time. I said 
good-bye to Aphrodite. Then I went goes in a 
quick way to the singing creek where the willows 
grow, to get the swill-smells off. First I did wade 
out a little way. Then I sat down. The water came 
in a nice way up to my neck, and it went singing on. 
I gave my curls wash-offs, and I did listen to the 
song the creek was singing as it did go by. It was a 
song of the hills. Being up to my neck made the 
water sounds very near to my ears. I had likes for 
that. 

By-and-by I did have feels that I was clean again 
and I did have thinks I better go get some dry 
clothes on, because sitting there in the singing 
creek did make my clothes some wet. When I was 
come to the house we live in, the mamma was gone 
to the house of Elsie, so I did go in. First I did give 
my clothes some wring-outs by the steps, so the 
water would not have drips on the kitchen floor, for 
the mamma has likes to keep her house very clean. 

When I did have dry clothes on me, I did go to 
hang the wet ones on bushes in the woods to dry. 
Thomas Chatterton Jupiter Zeus went with me. 
Lucian Horace Ovid Virgil rode in one of my apron 



192 THE STORY OF OPAL 

pockets and Felix Mendelssohn rode in the other 
one. And Louis II, le Grand Conde, did have rides 
in my sleeve. We was all very glad. As we went 
along, I had seeings the strings I have put on the 
bushes for the birds was gone. We went on and 
on some more. I did have looks about. I did have 
seeing of little wood-folks going their ways. I 
watched their little moves and I had seeing of what 
color they was. I made stops to tell them about this 
being the borning day of Linnaeus in 1707, and the 
going-away day of Georges Cuvier in 1832. 

We went on. All things was glad. The winds did 
sing. The leaves did sing. The grasses talked in 
whispers all along the way. I have thinks they 
were saying, "Petite Fran9oise, I'ete approche — 
I'ete approche." I did have hearings to all they 
were so saying, as I did go along. And the little 
birdlings in their cradles were calling for more to 
eat. And I did make a stop to watch the mother- 
birds and father-birds in their comings and goings. 
Now are busy times. 



CHAPTER XXV 

Of Many Washings and a Walk. 

To-day I did take Mathilde Plantagenet to visit 
the girl that has no seeing. I did tell her I would so 
bring Mathilde Plantagenet, and she did have joy 
feels when she did have thinks about Mathilde 
Plantagenet coming to visit her. Before we did 
start, I did give Mathilde Plantagenet a good foot- 
bath, as Sadie McKibben does always take one 
before she goes a-visiting. Then I did wash the neck 
and ears of Mathilde Plantagenet in a careful way. 
It took four Castoria-bottles full of water to do so. 

I have had a big problem. That's what Sadie 
McKibben says when she has had a difficulty of 
managing. My big problem was what to carry 
water in when I go to make prepares to give my 
pets foot-baths and neck-and-ear washes. I have 
tried thimbles to use for wash-pans when I do wash 
the hands of my pets, but thimbles hold not enough 
of water. Often and often again there is needs to 
go for more water when one does use thimblefuls 
at a time. Sometimes now I do use a mentholatum 
jar. It holds more water than does a thimble, but 
mostly now I do carry Castoria bottles full of water 
when I start on my way to wash the neck and ears 
of my animal friends. Sadie McKibben has gave 
me advice and a lard-bucket to carry those Cas- 
toria bottles full of water in. 



194 THE STORY OF OPAL 

After I so did have Mathilde Plantagenet washed 
then I did dry her neck and ears with the soft salt- 
sack towel that Sadie McKibben has gave to me. 
After I did have her neck and ears washed and her 
hair rubbed down in the way it does go, I did give 
her a little lump of salt. She liked that. Then I tied 
the little rope around her neck that I do lead her 
by, and we made starts to go visit the girl that has 
no seeing. When we were come to her gate, I did 
open it and Mathilde Plantagenet and I went down 
the path to her door. Mathilde Plantagenet went 
around with me to the window where I do tap taps 
so she will have knows I am come. 

She did rub the nose of Mathilde Plantagenet. 
And she was so glad to see her. She straightway did 
go to bring her a salt-lump. But I told her Mathilde 
Plantagenent did just have a salt-lump after her 
foot-bath. And I did give her explainings as how 
I thought one salt-lump a day is enough for Ma- 
thilde Plantagenet while she is yet so young. When 
she is older grown she may have two salt-lumps in 
one day. Then the girl that has no seeing did give 
me the salt-lump for her to have to-morrow. She 
has thinks like my thinks that there is music in 
the moos of Mathilde Plantagenet. And she had 
asks how was the dear baby of Elsie's. And I told 
her as how I thought it would have two tooths soon, 
and she said that would be interest. I had thinks 
so too. I told her the mamma's nice baby has a 
lot of tooths. It's had them quite a time long, and 
so has Thomas Chatterton Jupiter Zeus. 



THE STORY OF OPAL 195 

Then we all did go for a walk. With my right 
hand I did lead the girl who has no seeing. With 
my left hand I did lead Mathilde Plantagenet. And 
Brave Horatius came a-following after. As we did 
go along, we did have listens to the voices of the 
trees and grass. The girl that has no seeing is 
learning to have hearing of what the grasses say 
and of the waters of the brooks that tell the hill 
songs. Too, she is learning to see things. She shuts 
her eyes when I shut mine. We go on journeys 
together. We ride in a cloud — in a fleecy white 
one that does sail away over the hills. We look 
down on beautiful earth, and we see Nonette and 
Iraouaddy and Launette and foret d'Ermenonville 
and Aunette and foret de Chantilly and Saint 
Firmin. 

To-day, after we did have our eyes shut for quite 
a time long, I did open mine just a little bit to have 
seeing how big that bee was that was making such 
a buzz. He was quite a big bee and he was in a 
hurry. When he did go on, the girl who has no see- 
ing did have asks when was I going to bring Menan- 
der Euripides Theocritus Thucydides to visit her. 
She said she had thinks he must be a bigger lamb 
now with me giving him his bottle of milk morning 
and eventime. I said he was growing more big 
— a little bit. He is a very dear lamb. Then she 
had askings when was Thomas Chatterton Jupiter 
Zeus and Lucian Horace Ovid Virgil coming to 
visit her. And she had wants to know when was 
Lars Porsena of Clusium coming again. I did have 



196 THE STORY OF OPAL 

thinks about it and I did tell her we would all come 
to visit her on the fourth day from the day that is 
now. And I did sing her the song of fleurs : of tante, 
of myosotis, aubepine, romarin, gentiane, ulmaire, 
eglantier, rosagine, iris, tulipe and eclaire. And we 
came home, and before we were yet to the house we 
live in, we did make a stop at the cathedral for 
prayers, and *'Hosanna in excelsis." 



CHAPTER XXVI 

Why it Was that the Girl who Has no Seeing Was not at 
Home when- Opal Called. 

Now is the fourth day come. And we are going 
goes to the house of the girl who has no seeing. All 
the morning hours there was works to do to help 
the mamma. Afternoon is now come and we go. 

We did. First I did make begins to get us all 
together. Brave Horatius was waiting by the back 
steps. Lars Porsena of Clusium was near unto him. 
Lucian Horace Ovid Virgil was under the front 
doorstep. Thomas Chatterton Jupiter Zeus was 
back of the house in his home of sticks that he does 
have likes for. I did help Thomas Chatterton 
Jupiter Zeus to build that home. I had sees in the 
woods of how other wood-rats do have their houses 
builded of sticks and some sticks and some more 
sticks. To-day, when I did squeak calls for Thomas 
Chatterton Jupiter Zeus to come out of his house, 
he did come out, and he did crawl up on my shoulder 
and cuddle his nose up close to my curls. 

We made a start. We went by the nursery to 
get Nannerl Mozart. We went on. Menander Eu- 
ripides Theocritus Thucydides was playing close by 
the pasture-bars. He is a very jumpy lamb. He 
did jump a long jump to meet us to-day, and his 
tall did wiggle more wiggles. We went adown the 



198 THE STORY OF OPAL 

lane. We made a stop to get Solomon Grundy, and 
his little sister Anthonya Mundy, that has not got 
as much curl in her tail as Solomon Grundy. We 
went out along the road. They were a sweet pic- 
ture. I made a stop to look at them all — some 
running ahead and some behind. They all did wear 
their pink ribbons that the fairies did bring. Solo- 
mon Grundy and Anthonya Mundy and Menander 
Euripides Theocritus Thucydides all did wear di- 
vides of the ribbon that was the ribbon that dear 
William Shakespeare used to wear. And they all 
did have joy feels as they had knows they were 
going on a visit to visit the girl that has no seeing. 
She has love for them. And we did go in a hurry on. 
I did feel a big amount of satisfaction that I have 
such a nice family. 

Lars Porsena of Clusium did ride most of the 
way on the back of Brave Horatius. His appears 
are not what they were before he did lose his tail- 
feathers. I am praying prayers every day for him 
to get a new tail soon. When we were all come near 
to the house of the girl that has no seeing, we did 
walk right up to the door. And I stepped three 
steps back and three hops over and three steps up 
to the door, so she would have knows we was come. 
We had knows only she would be there because 
this day is the going-to-town day of her people. I 
stepped more steps. Brave Horatius barked more 
barks for her coming. And Solomon Grundy 
squealed his most nice baby-pig squeal. We did 



THE STORY OF OPAL 199 

listen listens. She had not coming to the door. I 
sat on the steps to wait waits. I so did for some 
time long. While we did have waits, I did sing to 
Brave Horatius and Solomon Grundy and all of 
them songs of Nonette and Iraouaddy and more 
songs Angel Father did teach me to sing of birds of 
oncle what did have going away, of roitelet, ortolan^ 
hruant, epervier, rousserolle, tourterelle, farlouse, 
ramier, aigle, nonnette, chardonneret, orfraie, ibis, 
rossignoly loriot, ortolan, ibis, sansonnet, pinson, hi- 
rondelle, ibis, lanier, ibis, pic, pivoine, epeiche,faisan, 
etourneau, roitelet, draine, ibis, nonnette, aigle, nive- 
rolle, durbec, aigle, roitelet, ibis, etourneau, draine, 
ortolan, roitelet, loriot, emerillon, aigle, niverolle, sar- 
celle. All my pets do have likes for those songs. 
To-day Brave Horatius did bark a bark when I 
was done and Solomon Grundy did squeal his baby- 
pig squeal again. I had wonders why she did not 
come. 

After by-and-by I did go sit on the gate-post to 
wait waits. It was a long time. A man on a horse 
went by. Another man went by. He had asks what 
for was I sitting on the gate-post. I did tell him I 
was waiting waits for the coming of the girl that 
has no seeing. He did look away off to the hills. 
Then he started to say something but he swallowed 
it. He looked off to the hills again. Then he did 
say, "Child, she won't come back. She is gone to 
the graveyard." 

I did smile a sorry smile upon him because I had 



200 THE STORY OF OPAL 

knows he did n't know what he was talking about 
when he did say she won't come back. It is not 
often she goes anywhere, and when she does, she 
always does come back. I told him I knew she 
would come back. I waited some more waits. Then 
it was time for my pets to be going back because it 
would not do for the chore boy not to find Solomon 
Grundy and Anthonya Mundy in the pig-pen. I 
will go goes again to-morrow to see the girl that has 
no seeing, for I have knows she will come again 
home to-night in starlight-time. 

When Solomon Grundy and Anthonya Mundy 
did have their pink ribbons off and was again in 
the pig-pen, the rest of us did have going to the 
cathedral for songs and prayers. I did pray that 
the girl that has no seeing may not stub her toe 
and fall when she comes home to-night by starlight- 
time. And Brave Horatius did bark Amen. 

Early on this morning I went again to the house 
of the girl who has no seeing. There were little 
singings everywhere — sky and hills and the wil- 
lows were whispering little whispers by Nonette. I 
went in a quick way down along the lane and in 
along the fields, until I was come near unto her 
house. I cuddled Thomas Chatterton Jupiter Zeus 
more close in my arms, and I tiptoed on the grass. 
Menander Euripides Theocritus Thucydides did 
make little jumps beside me. And Brave Horatius 
came a-foUowing after. 



THE STORY OF OPAL 201 

I made a stop by the window that I always do 
make stops by and I rapped six raps on the window- 
pane. Six raps means ''Come on out — we are 
come." I had no hears of her steps a-coming like 
they always do. I put my hands above my eyes so 
I could see inside the window. She was not there. 
Nobody was. I did tap six more raps. She did not 
come. 

I went on around by the lilac bush. I crawled in 
under it to wait waits for her coming. Two men 
were talking by the fence. One did say, "It is 
better so." I had wonders what did he mean. The 
other man did say, ''A pit tea it was she could n't 
have had a little sight to see that brush-fire ahead." 
And I had hears of the other one say, "Probably 
the smell of the smoke caused her worry about the 
fire coming to the house, and probably she was 
trying to find out where it was when she walked 
right into it." And the other man did have asks if 
she was con chus after. And the other one did say, 
"Yes." 

I listened more listens to their queer talk. I had 
wonders what did it all mean. Another man did 
come in the gate. He came to where they was. He 
put his hand on a fence-post. There was a green 
caterpillar close by him on a bush, but he had not 
seeing of it. He did begin to talk. First thing he 
said was, "When Jim went by here last even, that 
child was sitting on the gate-post. She was waiting 
for her to come back." He said more; he said, 



202 THE STORY OF OPAL 

"Jim told her she was gone to the graveyard, but 
she said she knew she would come back." 

Why, that was what I told that man. It all did 
sound queer. I heard them say some more. Then 
I had understanding. I had knows then it was the 
girl that has no seeing they was having talks about, 
because I was waiting waits for her on yesterday 
when the man did tell me that. I felt queerness in 
my throat and I could n't see either. I could n't 
see the green caterpillar on the leaf by the man that 
said it. And Thomas Chatterton Jupiter Zeus had 
looks like a gray cloud in my arms. 

More the men said. They talked it all over again. 
They said she smelled the smoke of the brush-fire, 
and not having sees of it, she did walk right into it 
and all her clothes did have fire; and then she ran, 
and her running did make the fire to burn her more 
— and she stubbed her toe and fell. She fell in a 
place where there was mud and water. She was 
rolling in it when they found her. And all the fire- 
pains that was did make her moan moans until 
hours after, when she died. They say she died. And 
I could n't see Thomas Chatterton Jupiter Zeus or 
Brave Horatius or anything then. 

When after a while I did come again the way 
that goes to the house we live in, I did have sees of 
the little fleurs along the way that she so did love. 
I have thinks they were having longings for her 
presence. And I so was too. But I do have thinks 
her soul will come again to the woods. And she 



THE STORY OF OPAL 203 

will have sees of the blooming of the fleurs in the 
field she has loves for. I go now to write a message 
on a leaf for her like I do to Angel Father and Angel 
Mother. I will put one by the ferns, and I will tie 
one to a branch of the singing fir tree. And I will 
pray that the angels may find them when they come 
a-walking in the woods. Then they will carry them 
up to her in heaven there. 



CHAPTER XXVII 

Of a Cathedral Service in the Pig-Pen. — How the World 
Looks from a Man's Shoulder. 

In the morning of to-day, being as I could not 
get the fence down about the pig-pen so Aphrodite 
could get out to go to service in the cathedral, I did 
have decides to have cathedral service in the pig- 
pen. 

I brought large pieces of moss and lovely ferns. 
I got a wood-box so Brave Horatius could get in. 
After he was in the pig-pen, I did use the box for 
an altar. I lay moss upon it and ferns about it. 
While I was fixing it Lars Porsena did perch on my 
shoulder and he stayed there for service. Thomas 
Chatterton Jupiter Zeus nestled by my side. Solo- 
mon Grundy and Anthonya Mundy, who has n't as 
much curl in her tail as Solomon Grundy — these 
lay by their mother Aphrodite and me and all the 
other little pigs. I sat on a board and Clementine 
did perch on the edge of the feeding-trough. In its 
middle was her sister hen Andromeda. Felix Men- 
delssohn did snuggle up in my right apron pocket. 
And in the left apron pocket was that lovely toad, 
Lucian Horace Ovid Virgil. 

After some lon-g time, when we all did get settled 
down to quietness, I did start service. It took a 
long time to get quietness because the dear folks 



THE STORY OF OPAL 205 

were n't used to having cathedral service in the 
pig-pen. After the third hymn I did preach the 
morning sermon. I did choose for my text: "I will 
lift up mine eyes unto the hills." I had to peek 
through the pig-pen fence to do it, for it did have 
more tallness than I did have. I lifted most all the 
congregation up to have a peek. I did lift them one 
at a time. And so they saw and lifted up their eyes 
unto the hills, but most of them did n't. They 
looked in different ways. Some saw God's good- 
ness in the grass and some did see it in the trees, 
and Thomas Chatterton Jupiter Zeus did not have 
seeing for more than for the piece of cheese I did 
have hid in my sleeve for him. He gave his cheese 
squeak. I gave him a nibble. Then we had prayers. 

Rain is come some more. It came all night. And 
earth is damp again and things grow more in the 
garden. Some things grow very fast. Weeds so do. 
When the rain did stop having come-downs on this 
morning, then the mamma did have me to hoe in 
between the rows of things that do grow in the 
garden. As I did go along, I did have talks with 
these folks that grow in the garden there. I did tell 
them little poems. And I did sing to them little 
songs. As I did go along between the rows. Brave 
Horatius did follow after. I had thinks about the 
things growing there. I wonder If I would get 
roots like the plants in the garden, if I planted my 
feet some inches in the soil and did keep still quite 



2o6 THE STORY OF OPAL 

a time long. I have thinks I will try it some day 
and find out. 

As I did go on, I did have sees there were earth- 
worms on the window-panes over the young cab- 
bage-plants. The grown-ups say the earthworms 
rained down. They are mistaken. Those earth- 
worms crawled up. I 've watched them do It. They 
were about In many places. I have been learning 
things about earthworms. I think being an earth- 
worm must be an interesting life. I wonder how it 
feels to stretch out long and then get short again. 
I went goes on, to pull weeds by the bean-folks. I 
went back some steps to look looks at them. Those 
bean-folks in the garden are such climbers. Their 
thoughts reach up toward the sky. And they climb 
up on the poles we put In the garden there. 

By-and-by I saw another earthworm. He was 
alone. I did have sees of his movements. I always 
do see more earthworms after rain. This one was 
making himself very long. Lucian Horace Ovid 
Virgil, too, did have seeing of that earthworm. I 
made a stop to see what he was going to do about 
it. I did see. He did walk walks around that earth- 
worm. Then he did take it in a quick way. It was 
a very big earthworm, and Lucian Horace Ovid 
Virgil did have needs to use his hands to stuif It 
down his throat. The earthworm made wiggles, 
and Lucian Horace Ovid Virgil gave it pushes down 
his throat. 

In afternoon-time, when other works was done. 



THE STORY OF OPAL 207 

I did take Thomas Chatterton Jupiter Zeus and 
Felix Mendelssohn and Lucian Horace Ovid Virgil 
with me, and Louis H, le Grand Conde, did have 
rides in my sleeve. We went goes to the barn. I 
made a stop to talk with Michael Angelo Sanzio 
Raphael. Then I did go in to play on the hay. I 
had hearing of sounds in the stall below. I slid a 
slide down into the manger of that stall. There was 
someone I have never had sees of before. He had 
big eyes and a velvet nose, and he was brownish. 
When I did land in his manger there, he did look 
afraid looks. But I just sat quiet in the corner of 
the manger and reached out handfuls of hay to him. 
I have knows he is that new saw rel horse I have 
heard the grandpa at the ranch-house say he was 
going to get. And now he is got. I have likes for 
him. I told him a poem and I did sing him a song 
of fleurs de tante, of myosotis et anemone et roma- 
rin et iris et eclaire. He did have likes for that 
song, and the bunches of hay I did hold out to him. 
And this being the going-away day of Savonarola 
in 1498, 1 have give this new saw rel horse for name 
Girolamo Savonarola. I did tell him his name while 
I did give him more pats on his velvet nose. I have 
likes for him. 

On yesterday the coffee-pot tipped over on 
Harold. He had pains — worse than when the 
baby has colic. Elsie puts oil on him. When she 
puts the oil on him, some of his cries go under the 



208 



'IHI': S'lORY OK OPAT. 



Ilooi" and we do in»I lic.'ii' llicKi any iiiorc. I feci I 
liavc needs of llial oil in my hosj^ilal. 'I'liicc times 
on lliis morninj.^ I Iiavi; been on ^'oes to \\\r. Iiouseof 
I*'Jsic to liave asks if lie is ^-^rowin^ well. She says 
liis Iccis are heller llie od does make lliem so. 
And I yeL have more ihink:; I hen ihere is needs of 
oil like that oil in my hospital. 

When I was eominj.,' hack fiom I he Iionse of i'dsic 
I did look looks ahoni as I did ;.m) alonj^'. I saw a 
|>ieee ol hark. I did turn il over-wit h care. 'I'lieic 
were ants. I made a sel-down to watch them. Somt* 
ants (lid carry hundles with (pieer looks. I^i^' jud 
at school says they are antc.L,'j.';s. I have not, thiidvs 
so. They her too hi^' lor ani c^y^^ — and I have 
rememhers I hat Anj';(d I'al hei did call I hem nynipkes 
(If fonnuis. 

When I was come lo the house we live in, there 
was Lar;; Porsena ol C'Insinm walkin^^ ahoul on the 
c lean lahlet 1( »t h thai ha;; heen put on loi" company. 
And theie he was tracking crow-tracks in jam all 
over it. I |)ickecl him up and the mamma picked 
me ii|), and ri^iit away she did s[)aiik me for his 
doing il. 'Ihe lime il did lake to wash that lahle- 
cloth was c|uilc' a lime loni';. I made little ruhs on 
it whei'e was the jam-hacks ol Lars l*orsena of 
C'hisium. When I hey was all come out , and it. had 
clean looks thai did s.nil ihe leek; ol the mamma, 
then she did lejl us lo gel out ol her way. 

We dill. We went to the woods and Thomas 
Cliatlerlon Jupiter Zeus went wilh us. When we 



'I"III<: STORY Ol' OPAL 209 

were come to the great fir tree, I did say a prayer. 
Weweiiton. A lit t le way we went. 'I'lien [ made a 
stop to print a message on a leaf, for the soul of the 
girl that has no seeing. I had wants to tic it on a 
limb of a tree that I eould not reach up to, and 
there was no 1 r(!e fallen against it. While I ditl 
stand close by it, the man that wears gray neck- 
ties and is kind to mice did come that way by. 
When he saw me in meditation by that tree, he did 
ask me what T wanted. I told him T did have needs 
of being up in that tree. I let did set me on his 
shoulder. I'rcmi there 1 ton Id reach the tree-arm 
that was most near earth. Hut before I did climb 
onto the limb from his slioulder 1 did take long 
l(K)ks about in three straight ways and four corner 
ways. 

One does get such a good view of life from a man's 
slujulder. One feels so much more tall. 1 saw a 
mouse run under a log. I saw a mother-bird come 
to her babies. I saw a toad by an old gray rock. J 
saw a caterpillar on a bush close by. I saw a stjuir- 
rel on a tree beyond the next bush. 'J'hen I did 
climb up into the tree, and ] tied the leaf with the 
message on it out far on a limb high uj), so the 
angels would have sees of it when they went ilying 
by and cuvvy it uj:) to her in heaven there. 

Afterwards I did go to the house of Sadie Mc- 
Kibben. Lars Porsena of Clusium and 'I'homas 
Chatterton Jupiter Zeus went goes with n\c. Sadie 
McKibben has a new back-comb. She did have me 



210 THE STORY OF OPAL 

put it in her hair for the first time it so is in. It 
has crinkles on its back and it does hold her hair 
up from her neck in a nice way. Sometimes 
Sadie McKibben does let me help her to do up her 
hair. I have satisfaction feels that I can be of helps. 
I do roll her hair in a roll on top of her head. It 
makes loop looks where some hairs want not to 
be in the roll on top of her head. Then I do put the 
hairpins in, to make them look like a water-wheel 
that the chore boy does build in the brook. But all 
the times I do put Sadie McKibben's hairpins in like 
a water-wheel, her hair, it does not stay up long. 
Then she does smile a smile and give her hair a 
quick roll. She sticks the hairpins in tight. Her 
hair, it does stay up. She so did to-day. And when 
we came away she did give me a kiss on both my 
cheeks and one on my nose. I have glad feels that 
she does remember about the nose. 

After I was come home I did bring the wood in 
and set the table. Then I made a start to go to the 
ranch-house to get the milk. On the way along I 
heard a little lamb bleating. It was crying for its 
mother. I went to look for it. I left the path. I 
went to the pasture up by the woods. When I got 
there the little lamb seemed to be away back in 
the woods. I set the milk-pail down and ran. I ran 
quick. There were long gray shadows in the woods. 
I felt their soft fingers touch my cheeks. I ran on. 
The little lamb had stopped crying. I heard it bleat 
no more. Where last time it did cry, there was only 



THE STORY OF OPAL 211 

the husband of Sadie McKibben sitting on a log. I 
have thinks the wee lamb did find its mother. So I 
came back again. And the time was not long until 
I did have the milk brought to the house we live in. 
Afterwards in gray-light time I did go to the 
cathedral. And with me went Brave Horatius and 
most all the others. We did have service and I did 
sing and say thank prayers for the goodness of 
Gregoire VII. It was on this day in 1085 — it was 
then he did have going away. And this eventime 
there was a song in the tree-tops at the cathedral. 
I have thinks it was a song of his goodness. 



CHAPTER XXVIII 

How Opal Piped with Reeds, and what a Good Time Dear Love 
Gave Thomas Chatter ton Jupiter Zeus. 

Very early in the morning of to-day I did get 
out of my bed and I did get dressed in a quick way. 
Then I cHmbed out the window of the house we 
live in. The sun was up and the birds were singing. 
I went my way. As I did go, I did have hearing of 
many voices. They were the voices of earth glad 
for the spring. They did say what they had to say 
in the growing grass and in the leaves growing out 
from tips of branches. The birds did have knowing, 
and sang what the grasses and leaves did say of the 
gladness of living. I, too, did feel glad feels from 
my toes to my curls. 

I went down by the swamp; I went there to get 
reeds. There I saw a black bird with red upon his 
wings. He was going in among the rushes. I made 
a stop to watch him. I have thinks to-morrow I 
must be going in among the rushes where he did go. 
I shall pull off my shoes and stockings first, for 
mud is there and there is water. I like to go in 
among the rushes where the black birds with red 
upon their wings do go. I like to touch finger-tips 
with the rushes. I like to listen to the voices that 
whisper in the^wamp, and I do so like to feel the 
mud ooze up between my toes. Mud has so much of 
interest in it — slippery feels and sometimes little 



THE STORY OF OPAL 213 

seeds that some day will grow into plant-folk if 
they do get the right chance. And some were so 
growing this morning. And more were making 
begins. I did have seeing of them while I was look- 
ing looks about for reeds. 

With the reeds I did find there I did go a-piping. 
I went adown the creek and out across the field 
and in along the lane. Every stump I did come to 
I did climb upon. By-and-by I was come near 
unto the house we live in. I thought it would be 
nice to go adown the path and pipe a forest song to 
the mamma of the gladness of the spring. When the 
mamma met me piping in the path, she did turn 
me about to the way that does lead to the house we 
live in. She so did with switches. She made me to 
stop piping the song of the forest, but it did n't go 
out of my heart. 

When we was come Into the house, the mamma 
did tell me works to do, and then she went with the 
little girl and the baby and some lace she was mak- 
ing for a skirt for the baby, all to the house of Elsie. 
I did make begins on the works. I like to be helps 
to the mamma. I like to sing while I have works to 
do. It does so help. After I did scrub the steps 
and empty the ashes and fill the wood-box and 
give the baby's clothes some washes, — all as the 
mamma did say for me to do, — then I made pre- 
pares to take Thomas Chatterton Jupiter Zeus to 
visit Dear Love. She has kind thoughts of him, and 
it is four whole days since she has seen him. 



214 THE STORY OF OPAL 

First I brought out his nice pink ribbon that the 
fairies did bring to him. I hung it on a branch of 
willow. Then I did sit down. I had only a half a 
Castoria bottle full of warm water, so I did have 
needs to be careful in the use of it. First I did wash 
his beautiful white paws. I dried them on my 
apron as I did forget to bring his little towel. Dear 
Love made that little towel for him. It is like her 
big bath-towel. And she marked his initials on it 
with red ink like Big Jud has a bottle of at school. 
She put a dot after each letter. It is T. C. J. Z. on 
his bath-towel. When I do have thinks about that 
nice little bath-towel of his, I do give his paws a 
wash, and if I have not the towel with me, I do dry 
them with my apron. 

So I did to-day, and we did go our way to the 
little house of Dear Love, by the mill by the far 
woods. In our going we went among the great 
trees along little paths between tall ferns, and we 
went over logs. When we were come near unto the 
house of Dear Love, she did come to meet us. She 
gave me two kisses, one on each cheek, and one on 
the nose. She so does every time now since that 
day when she did give me one on each cheek and I 
did tell her Sadie McKibben does give me one on 
the nose, too. She was so glad to see Thomas Chat- 
terton Jupiter Zeus. We had a very nice visit. We 
did sit on an old log under a big tree, and there was 
some vines growing by that log, and we did have 
talks. I did tell her how I was praying on every 



THE STORY OF OPAL 215 

day for her baby to come real soon. And we did 
see a chipmunk that has some nice stripes on its 
back, and I told her I was putting it into my prayer 
for the angels to bring a baby brush with blue 
fleurs on it, and a cradle-quilt with a blue bow on it, 
when they do bring her baby, because I did have 
thinks a blue fleur on its baby brush and a blue 
bow on its cradle-quilt would look nicer witn its red 
hair than pink ones would look. And she had 
thinks like my thinks, and we saw a caterpillar. 
Some caterpillars grow into butterflies. All cater- 
pillars do not. Some grow into moths. 

When I was coming my way home through the 
far woods, from the house of Dear Love, I saw 
more chipmunks and I saw her husband. He was 
fixing a log. His hat — it was not on him. It was 
on a stump a little way away. He was most busy. 
His sleeves were up in a roll unto his arms' middle. 
He made bends over as he did work at that log. 
A little fern by his foot had Its growing up to the 
fringes on the legs of his overalls. The sun did 
come In between the grand trees, and It did shine 
upon his head. I so do like to see the sun shine 
upon the hair of the husband of Dear Love. I kept 
most still as I did go along, and I did look looks 
back. The sunbeams yet did shine upon his head. 

When I did come more near unto the house we 
do live In, I did see a squirrel In a chene tree. He 
was a lovely gray squirrel. I came more near unto 
the tree. I looked more looks at that gray squirrel 



2i6 THE STORY OF OPAL 

sitting out on a limb. His tail was very bushy. It 
had many, many hairs on it. I did look at his tail 
and I did look at the tail of my beautiful Thomas 
Chatterton Jupiter Zeus. The hairs he does have 
on his tail — they are not so many as are the hairs 
on the tail of that big gray squirrel. When I did 
look looks from his tail to the tail of my dear 
Thomas Chatterton Jupiter Zeus, I did have some 
wishes that there was as many hairs on his tail as 
are on the tail of that gray squirrel. 

While I so did think, Thomas Chatterton Jupi- 
ter Zeus did nestle more close in my arms, and I 
was glad for him as he is. He is so lovely and his 
ways are ways of gentleness. We went on along 
the dim trail. There by the dim trail grow the 
honeysuckles. I nod to them as I go that way. In 
the daytime I hear them talk with sunbeams and 
the wind. They talk in shadows with the little 
people of the sun. And this I have learned — 
grown-ups do not know the language of shadows. 
Angel Mother and Angel Father did know, and 
they taught me. I wish they were here now — here 
to listen with me. I do so want them. Sometimes 
they do seem near. I have thinks sometimes kind 
God just opens the gates of heaven and lets them 
come out to be guardian angels for a little while. 

I wonder if honeysuckles grow about the gates 
of heaven. I Ve heard they are made of precious 
jewels. I have thinks there will be flowers growing 
all about. Probably God brought the seed from 



THE STORY OF OPAL 217 

heaven when he did plant the flowers here on 
earth. Too, I do think when angels bring babies 
from heaven to folks that live here below, they do 
also bring seeds of flowers and do scatter them 
about. I have thinks that they do this so the babies 
may hear the voices of the loving flowers and grow 
in the way of God. 



CHAPTER XXIX 

How Opal Feels the Heat of the Sun, and Decorates a Goodly 
Number of the White Poker-Chips of the Chore Boy. 

To-day I did n't get to finish the exploration 
trip over the river, because just as I was starting 
around the house-corner, after I did do my morning 
work early, the mamma grabbed me. She did tie 
me to the wood-shed corner with a piece of clothes- 
line. So we couldn 't play together, she did tie to 
another corner that very wise crow Lars Porsena 
of Clusium. To the corner beyond the next corner, 
to the corner that was the most longways off, she 
did tie him. But we played peek-a-boo around the 
middle corner. I 'd lean just as far over as I could 
with the rope a-pulling back my arms. Real quick, 
I'd stretch my neck and peek and nod to Lars 
Porsena of Clusium. Then he of Clusium would 
flutter and say, "How-do-you-do," in squeaky crow 
tones. 

The day was growing warm. When it grew awful 
hot my arms did have feelings too sore to lean over 
any more. I sat down by the wood-shed wall and 
I did watch the passers-by. First went along 
Clementine, the Plymouth Rock hen. Then along 
stepped Napoleon, the Rhode Island red rooster. 
By and-by I did hear Solomon Grundy squealing 
in the pig-pen. Then a butterfly did rest on the 



THE STORY OF OPAL 219 

handle of the pump where I did have longings to be. 
The wee mother hummingbird never left her nest 
on the lower oak limb. I could see her bill. I did 
have hopes Brave Horatius would come marching 
by. I called and I did hear his whine afar off. Then 
I knew he was tied up too. 

Another Plymouth Rock hen came walking by. 
Over in the shade by the old root was a canard. He 
did have a sleepy look. And I did have a sleepy 
feel. I looked a short look at the sky. A merle was 
flying over. I looked looks a-far off when I did look 
near. The old black cat sat on the doorstep. He 
had a saucer of milk, and then he did wash his face. 
I would have been partly glad If he did come over 
to see me. But I have n't made up with him since 
he did catch the baby robin. I forgot the cat when 
a snake did crawl around the stump, one with 
stripes on it. I did have thinks it might at least 
have come nearer, that I might count the stripes 
on Its back. But It did go under the house. A 
grasshopper came hopping along. I stuck out my 
foot and he did hop over It. Through the slats of 
the chicken-coop I could see the mother hen with 
her young ducklings. I did have longings to cuddle 
them in my apron and I did want to take them 
down to the brook. I was having very sad feels. 

The sun got hotter and hotter. And pretty soon 
I did have queer feels In the head and the middle. 
Then my nose did begin to bleed. I felt all choked 
up and sticky. And every time I gave my head a 



220 THE STORY OF OPAL 

shake to get a good breath, my curls did get mixed 
up with the nose-bleed. Pretty soon the mamma 
passing by did see my apron with blood upon it and 
she untied me. After she did souse me in the tub 
under the pump I felt better. My arms did tingle 
where the rope was tied. 

After that I went to bed, and near suppertime 
the mamma did call me to wash the stockings of 
the baby and the stockings of the other little girl. 
I had needs to climb upon a stump to hang the 
stockings out to dry. Then I set the table. While 
I was carrying in the wood, I did crawl under the 
house to find the snake with the stripes on his back; 
but he was n't there, so I don't know how many 
stripes he did have on his back. When the wood 
was all stacked up in the wood-box and the kin- 
dling under the stove, the mamma did say I might 
take the ducklings to the brook. That did make 
me very happy. All the way to the brook I did 
sing, "Sanctus, sanctus, sanctus, Dominus Deus, 
Te Deum laudamus." 

There was rosee on the verdure everywhere this 
morning, and the sunbeams made all the drops to 
shine. And there was glory and gladness every- 
where. When I did look upon it, I did have thinks 
to go explores down along Nonette and into the 
foret de Chantilly. But the mamma had not thinks 
like my thinks. She did tell me of the many works 
she did have for me to do, and I did go to do them. 



THE STORY OF OPAL 221 

But as I did go about to do them, I did have thinks 
about the appears with rosee on them of the things 
that grow where Nonette flows. 

After the morning works was done, the mamma 
did have me to mind the baby while she was making 
it a dress. While I did mind the baby and while 
the mamma was making a dress for the baby, I 
made out of the piece what was left a christening 
robe. I made it for a young rooster. It is n't the 
first one I have made for him. But all the others 
he has got too big to wear, and I have n't been able 
to catch him yet. 

A little time before I did eat my bowl of bread 
and milk — it was a little time before noontime — 
the mamma did take the little girl and the baby and 
the dress she was making for the baby, and they all 
did go to the house of her mother. She did have me 
to help her to take them, and when they were come 
to the door of the house of her mother, I did come 
again home. 

When I did eat my bowl of bread and milk, I did 
have thinks I would make portraits of the folks in 
the pasture and pig-pen this afternoon. I did have 
decides to begin their portraits, and afterwards on 
other days I will do more works on them. I did 
make ready to go. I put more wood in the wood- 
box so it would be full when the mamma came 
home. Then I put four white poker-chips in my 
apron pocket — one is for the portrait of the gentle 
Jersey cow. I will have to draw her head in a small 



222 THE STORY OF OPAL 

way, so the horns can go in the picture too. I have 
thinks that the people who made poker-chips ought 
to have made them with more bigness, so there 
would be more room to put horns on the cows' 
pictures that one does draw on poker-chips. One 
of the other three poker-chips I did put into my 
apron pocket is to draw Aphrodite's portrait on. 
And one of them is to draw Elizabeth Barrett 
Browning's picture on. And one is for someone 
else that does live in the pasture. Now I go. 

When I did get these pictures made, I did take 
them to a log in the near woods that has got a 
hollow place in it. There is room in this log for me 
to take naps in on rainy days, and in this log I do 
keep the white poker-chips with pictures on them. 
In this log I do have a goodly number of white 
poker-chips in rows, with portraits on them of the 
animal folks that do dwell here about. All my 
chums' pictures are there. There are five of Ma- 
thilde Plantagenet on three poker-chips. And there 
are seven of William Shakespeare that I did draw 
in automne and hiver time. And, too, there are six 
of dear Peter Paul Rubens that was. 

And now four more portraits did go in the rows 
to-day. There are nine more white poker-chips in 
a little pile under the root of a stump close by the 
old log. These nine white poker-chips are waiting 
waits to have p.ortraits made on them. When I do 
get portraits made on most all the white poker- 
chips I do have, then one of the logging men at the 



THE STORY OF OPAL 223 

mill by the far woods does give me more white 
poker-chips to draw more pictures of Aphrodite 
and Elizabeth Barrett Browning and all of us on. 

The chore boy does have objects to my drawing 
pictures on his poker-chips that he does hide in the 
barn. It was one day when I was walking around 
exploring in the barn and singing songs to William 
Shakespeare and the gentle Jersey cow — on that 
day, and then I did find the poker-chips of the chore 
boy where he did hide them away. I had not knows 
whose they were, but the white ones all did lay 
there in a heap having askings for pictures to be 
drawn on them. So I did take some of them and I 
did make portraits of Thomas Chatterton Jupiter 
Zeus, and Louis II, le Grand Conde, and Brave 
Horatius. Then I did put them back in their places 
again. The day that was after that, I did take some 
more and I did make portraits on them. On them 
I did make portraits of Lars Porsena of Clusium 
and Lucian Horace Ovid Virgil and Nannerl 
Mozart and Felix Mendelssohn. Then I did carry 
them back to their place in the barn. They did look 
satisfaction looks there in that corner with por- 
traits on them. 

Then next day, when I was going down our lane 
by the barn, the chore boy did come by the gate. 
When I came through, he did give my curls a pull. 
He did say in a cross way, *' What for did you mark 
up my nice poker-chips with your old pictures.'*" 
Then I did have knows they were his poker-chips 



224 THE STORY OF OPAL 

there in the barn. I did tell him the white ones had 
wants to have portraits on them and it was to give 
them what they had wants for. I told him he better 
draw pictures on what white ones was left that did 
not have pictures on. I had thinks they would be 
lonesome. 

But the chore boy did not have thinks like my 
thinks. He said he had more knows what poker- 
chips want than I have thinks. He says poker-chips 
want to be on a table in a game with men. I have 
thinks he has not knows what he is talking about. 
I have knows white poker-chips do have wants 
for portraits to be drawn on them — portraits of 
Thomas Chatterton Jupiter Zeus and Brave Hora- 
tius and Lars Porsena of Clusium and all the rest. 

After I did put the four new portraits in the old 
log, I did follow a path that leads to a path that leads 
to a path that goes to the house of Elsie. I so went 
because I did have a little longing to rock again the 
baby's cradle. Elsie was making for her young 
husband a whipped-cream cake. He has such a 
fondness for them. And she does make them for 
him as often as there is cream enough. She was 
stirring things together in the most big yellow bowl. 
She did stir them in a quick way. 

While she so did, the baby did have a wake-up. 
She said I might rock it in its cradle. I went in a 
quick way to ,do so. I did give its cradle little 
touches on its corner with my fingers, and it did 
rock in a gentle way. As the cradle so did rock 



THE STORY OF OPAL 225 

back and forth in that gentle way, I did sing to the 
dear baby in it a Httle song. I did sing to it le chant 
de fleurs that Angel Father did teach me to sing of 
hyacinthe, eclaire, nenufar, rose, iris et dauphinelle 
et oleandre et romarin, lis, eglantier, anemone, nar- 
cisse et souci. I did sing it four times over, and the 
baby did go to sleeps again. I do so love to watch 
it in its cradle. 

Afterwards I went to look for thoughts. Every 
day now I do look for thoughts in flowers. Some- 
times they are hidden away in the flower-bell — 
and sometimes I find them on a wild rose — and 
sometimes they are among the ferns — and some- 
times I climb away up in the trees to look looks for 
them. So many thoughts do abide near unto us. 
They come from heaven and live among the flowers 
and the ferns, and often I find them in the trees. 
I do so love to go on searches for the thoughts that 
do dwell near about. 



CHAPTER XXX 

How Opal and the Little Birds from the Great Tree Have a 
Happy Time at the House of Dear Love 

When I was come home from school this after- 
noon, first I did go to the wood-shed to carry in 
wood. I saw there was some new bran in the bran- 
sack-box. That box is a big box. I make chmbs 
up on it sometimes to have thinks. And Thomas 
Chatterton Jupiter Zeus makes a cHmb up too. 
Then I get down and make a pile of wood high 
enough so Brave Horatius can make a jump climb 
up. We have likes for that big bran-sack-box. 
Jenny Strong says why we do have likes for that 
box is because it is a hard box to get up on. But 
we do get up on it often. Sometimes I do eat my 
bowl of bread and milk for supper there on the 
bran-sack-box. 

There is another box in the wood-shed. In that 
other box is a sack of wheat. In morning-time a 
little bit of it goes with the scraps to feed the 
chickens. In evening before gray-light-time more 
wheat from that sack goes to feed the chickens. And 
the chickens do have likes for that wheat from 
that sack in that box. I strew it on the ground for 
them in swings. I swing my arm a long swing and 
then a short swing. When I do swing it a long 
swing the wheat goes far. When I swing it a short 



THE STORY OF OPAL 227 

swing It goes not so. It goes only a little ways. 
To-day I did swing my arm four long swings and 
three short swings and two more long swings. The 
chickens were glad to have It so. They did pick 
up that wheat In a hurry way. 

Then I went Into the kitchen to get the egg- 
turner to pat the dirt down good around that 
tomato plant that's been dabbling Its toes in the 
brook and is now planted again. Just when I got it 
most patted down right, so It looked real proper — 
just then the mamma stepped behind me. She 
turned me over her knee. She would n't listen to 
explanations. She just applied that egg-turner to 
the back part of me. Now I feel too much sore 
to sit down, sol lean over a stump. to print this. I 
have thinks I will go goes to the house of Dear Love. 

I so did. I went through the near woods and into 
the far woods. In my going I went by where the 
man of the long step that whistles most all of the 
time does gather ferns for the pensee girl with the 
far-away look in her eyes. There little ferns grow 
tall and big ferns grow very tall. And sunbeams 
and shadows are among them before gray-light- 
time. It Is the same place where the man that 
wears gray neckties and Is kind to mice did dig up 
little ferns to make fern wishes to the fairies when 
I put letters In the moss-box by the old log. But 
now we dig not up little ferns here. We find them 
In another place. We have feels the fairies would 
like it, and these ferns grow there for the pensee 



228 THE STORY OF OPAL 

girl with the far-away look in her eyes. Often it is 
now she is come to visit her aunt of the gray calico 
dress with a black bow at its neck. 

After I did say a little prayer at the growing- 
place of the little tall ferns and the very tall ferns, 
I did go on. I went on along a winding path that 
goes in between old logs. I went a little way. I did 
hear a little squeal. I did look looks about. There 
was Solomon Grundy coming after me just as 
quick as he could come. His little legs did bring 
him in a quick way. I made a stop to wait for him. 
He was joys all over when he did come up by me. 
He did jump upon me. And his squeals were squeals 
of gladness. Then we did go on together. We went 
on. As we so did, I did sing to him one of the songs 
Angel Father did teach me to sing. Every day I do 
sing him one of them. To-day I did sing him un 
chant des fleurs, de fete, d'oncle, of souci et eglan- 
tine et pensee et tulipe et quintefeuille et ulmaire et 
apalachine et tournesol et romarin et eclaire. He did 
grunt grunts in-between times. 

When we were come to the house of Dear Love, 
they were standing by the steps. The husband of 
Dear Love did bring home to her a little nest that 
was In a tree that they did fall In the far woods 
to-day. The nest it was a long nest. Its longness 
was very long. I have thinks when the wind did go 
through the woods sometimes this cradle did swing. 
Its largeness was so long. The husband of Dear 
Love did think these little birds were most ready 



THE STORY OF OPAL 229 

to fly from the nest when the tree did fall to-day. 
All the six little birds but one did get death as the 
tree did fall. They were such little things when we 
did take them out. The one live one was hungry. 
And we did feed him. We did feed him little bits at 
a time — a little bit of egg that was left In the 
dinner-pail of the husband of Dear Love, did give 
to this little bird some satisfaction feels. Dear Love 
did cuddle it warm in her hands, and her husband 
did make the piece of egg Into little divides for me 
to give to it. It did open Its mouth most wide. 

When I so did see it do, I did open my mouth 
too, like it did. The husband of Dear Love did 
laugh. I did have asking of him why he did laugh, 
for it was not thoughtful to laugh at the little 
hungry bird that did have so hungry feels and 
lonesome ones. He did say in his gentle way that 
it was not at the little bird he did laugh. He did 
say he just did laugh sometimes when he had thinks 
about things at work. I told him it was nice he had 
thoughtfuls of the nest that they saw in the tree 
after it did fall. He said he thought of me and that 
made him think It would be nice to bring the nest 
home, and he broke off another piece of egg for the 
little bird. And more he so did. And every time I 
did drop a piece of egg into the mouth of the little 
bird, I did open my mouth wide, too, from seeing 
the bird do it. 

When It was full of satisfaction feels. Dear Love 
did fix It all up nice In a warm little box. She is 



230 THE STORY OF OPAL 

going to give it careful cares so it will grow up. 
She has asked me to pick out a name for it. I am 
so going to do. And to-morrow I am going to have 
the funerals of the other five little birds that did get 
death as the tree did fall. Dear Love gave me 
white soft pieces to wrap them in and the husband 
of Dear Love says he will make the tombstones for 
their graves. I am going to bury them at Dreux by 
Blaise. There will they rest. On to-morrow it so 
will be. 

To-night when I was come home, I took the 
pillow from my bed to sit on at the supper-table 
because the back part of me did feel so sore from 
that spanking the mamma gave me with the egg- 
turner out in the garden to-day. 

After supper-time I did have seeing out the win- 
dow of the night. It was calling, " Petite Frangoise, 
come, petite Fran^oise." I went. Brave Horatius 
followed after. We went adown the path. A big 
silver yellow ball was coming up over the hill. We 
made a stop. I did climb on a rock to watch its 
coming. Bra\e Horatius put his nose by my hand. 
I gave him pats. He looked up at me. I told him, 
"C'est la pleine lune." We went on. We went on 
to the hill where its coming was. 



CHAPTER XXXI 

Hoiv Lola Wears her White Silk Dress at Last. 

Lola has got her white silk dress that she did 
have so much wants for, and it has a little ruffle 
around the neck and one around each sleeve like 
she had wants for it to have. It is nice she is a 
great lady now. She so did say at school she would 
be a great lady when she did have her white silk 
dress on. And, too, at school she did say the child- 
ren would gather around her and sing, and they 
did. And she did say at school, when the children 
would gather around her and sing when she does 
have her white silk dress on — she did say then 
she would stand up and stretch out her arms and 
bestow her blessing on all of them like the deacon 
does to the people in the church in the mill town — 
but she did n't. She did n't even raise up her 
hands. She staid asleep in that long box the whole 
time the children was marching around her and 
singing "Nearer My God to Thee," and more songs. 
She did just lay there in that long box with her 
white silk dress on and her eyes shut and her hands 
folded and she was very still all the time. 

Her sister did cry. I did walk up to her and 
touch her hand where she did sit in the rocking- 
chair. I did have asks if it was a white silk dress 
she was having wants for, too. And she patted my 



232 THE STORY OF OPAL 

hand and I told her maybe she would get a white 
silk dress soon too, and how nice it was Lola did 
have hers, what she had wants for — and the ruf- 
fles in its neck and sleeves. And Lola's sister did pat 
me on the head and went out to her kitchen, and I 
did go out of doors again. 

And there was Brave Horatius by the steps, and 
I saw a yellow butterfly and a little way away there 
was a mud-puddle. By the mud-puddle was a 
guepe. She came. She went. Every time she did 
come she did take a bit of mud. I did watch. When 
she was gone away, a little hole was where she 
did take the mud. She did make comes again. It 
was for mud she did come every time. Last time I 
did follow after. It was a difficulty — the follow- 
ing after. She was so little a person and the way 
she did go, it was a quick way. And I had seeing 
she was making a cradle of mud for a baby guepe 
to be. 

Then I went a little way back. I saw a white 
butterfly. I have wonders if Lola will wear her 
white silk dress to school when fall time is come. I 
saw one more white butterfly. I looked more looks 
about. Among the grasses on a little bush there 
was a katydid. And its green was a pretty green- 
ness. Its wings, they were folded close. And it was 
washing its front feet. I have thinks katydids do 
keep their feet most clean. They do wash them 
again and more times. I so do like to keep watches 
of the way the katydid does clean its face with its 



THE STORY OF OPAL 233 

front foot. I have thinks to be a katydid would be 
an Interest life. 

Brave Horatlus and me looked looks away. We 
did see the little pond. We went goes to It. Little 
white fleurs were along the way. I have wonders if 
Lola will wear her white silk dress when at school 
they do play London Bridge Is falling down. When 
we was come to the little pond I lay myself down 
close to Its edge. I did look looks into the pond. I 
saw things there. There were sky-clouds in the 
water. I saw a crayfish come from under a rock. I 
saw minnows all about. First they were still. Then 
they made moves about. I saw a little cradle of 
tiny stones. It was about an inch long. While I did 
look looks at it, It walked oif. Then me and Brave 
Horatlus did go on explores to the near woods. 



CHAPTER XXXII 

Of the Ways that Fairies Write, and the Proper Way to Drink 
in the Song of the Wood. 

When morning works was done, then I did go 
calling on the folks that wear sun-bonnets. I 
thought I better keep my siin-bonnet on my head, 
being as I was going calling on sun-bonnet folks. 
First I went to the garden to visit the pea family. 
I shook hands all down the row and back up the 
other row. Then I went to call on their neighbors 
the beans. And I saw a rabbit in the garden near 
unto the cabbages. I went a little nearer. I went 
to see who it was. It was Madame Lapine. She is a 
gentle woman and her ways are quiet ways, and 
she does have a fondness for bits of apple. When- 
ever I do have an apple I do save bits for her. Too, 
she likes cabbage, and I have showed her the way 
into the garden to get it when I am not there to get 
it for her. 

To-day, after I did have talks with most all the 
folks in the garden and after, I did tell them about 
this day being the crowning day of Louis XIV in 
1654 and the going-away day of Robert de Bruce 
in 1329; then I did go out across the fields to have 
talks with Aphrodite and Solomon Grundy and 
Michael Angelo Sanzio Raphael. Then it was I saw 



THE STORY OF OPAL 235 

the chore boy near unto the barn. He had a long 
stick. He was knocking down the homes of the 
swallows. There were broken cradles on the ground, 
and there were grown-up swallows about with dis- 
tresses in their flying. That did make me to have 
so sad feels. I did tell him how dear are swallows, 
but he would have no listens. 

Afterwards I did go goes to the house of Sadie 
McKibben. As I did go along I did have seeing of a 
little thing in the road ahead. It was a very little 
thing and it made little moves. They were only 
flutterings. It went not away from where it was. I 
did go in a hurry on. When I was come to it, I did 
have seeing it was a little bird. It was a little bird 
that was hurt by the step of a cow. I have thinks 
It was making a try to make a go across the road. 
I cuddled It up and I felt feels in my apron pocket 
and there was some mentholatum. And I give It 
some applys and we went to the hospital. And 
I put it there on moss in a little soap-box room 
where nothing can come and bring It more hurts. 
And it did have likes for the water I gave it to 
drink In a thimble, and more likes it did have for 
the food I gave It to eat. I named it William Make- 
peace Thackeray. 

Then I did go goes on to the house of Sadie 
McKibben, and Brave Horatius and Lars Porsena 
of Clusium went goes with me. Lars Porsena of 
Clusium did ride part ways on the back of Brave 
Horatius. When we was come to the house of 



236 THE STORY OF OPAL 

Sadie McKibben, she was having troubles. Just 
when she did have her clothes all hung out, then 
the clothes-line did break and they all had falls on 
the ground. While she did gather them up, she 
did have talks to herself. She did say, " 'Tis a folly 
to fret; grief 's no comfort." When her bread gets 
burns in the oven and the chickens bother on the 
porch and the clothes boil over on the stove and 
everything seems to go wrong, Sadie McKibben 
has a way of saying, '"Tis a folly to fret; grief's no 
comfort." 

While she was giving more wash-outs to them 
clothes that did have a fall while the clothes-line 
did break, she did sing. She sings on days when 
sunshine is. She sings on days when rain is. Sadie 
McKibben always sings before the summer rain as 
does the robin. 

To-day, when she did have them clothes part 
hung on the line again, then it was the man that 
wears gray neckties did come by on his way to the 
mill town. He had asks if there was anythings she 
was having needs of that he could bring back. 
And she did say bacon and some soda and some 
more things what she had needs of for to cook with. 
While she told him, he did write it down. I 
breathed a big breathe when I did see him write 
it down, for he does write In the way that the fair- 
ies write. I said,-*' Oh ! " He did turn himself around. 
He did say, *'What is it, little one.?" And I did 
tell him all in one breath. I did tell him, "Oh, it's 



THE STORY OF OPAL 237 

that you write in the way the fairies write that do 
put things for me by the old log where the moss- 
box is." 

Then he did smile and he looked a long look out 
the door. I have thinks he was thinking of the long- 
ago time when the fairies did teach him to write 
their way. When he did start to go, I heard him 
say to Sadie McKibben, "I guess I will have to 
change my writing." I most slipped off the chair 
I was setting on the edge of. I had feels I better 
speak to him about it. I had feels of the sorry feels 
the fairies would feel when they had knowing he 
was not going to write in the way they did teach 
him to write. When he did tell me good-bye I did 
say, "Please don't change your writing because 
you write the way the fairies do. I have thinks the 
way they write is lovely." 

And he did smile his gentle smile. Then I did 
tell him how sorry I knew the fairies would feel if 
he wrote not on in their way. Then he did say he 
guessed it would be a pretty hard thing — trying 
to write another way from what the fairies did teach 
him to write. I have thinks it would so be. And 
to-night in my prayers I will thank God the fairies 
did teach the man that wears gray neckties and is 
kind to mice to write in their way. It is a very 
beautiful way. Some of the letters are like ripples 
on the water. I have longings to write as the fairies 
write. 



238 THE STORY OF OPAL 

First thing I did do on the morning of to-day was 
to go to prayers in the cathedral. When I was come 
again to the house we Hve in, I did eat my breakfast. 
For breakfast I do eat a bowl of bread and milk. 
Then I did give the back porch a sweep-off. That 
made its appears better. Then I did go to feed the 
chickens, and after that I did go to feed the folks in 
the nursery. 

The caterpillars do eat so much. They do get 
hungry feels inside them most often. When I did 
have them well fed on this morning, I did make 
tries to get some of them into their christening 
robes so that they can be christened before they 
do grow more old, and before they do grow too big 
to wear their little christening robes. The matter 
of making christening robes for caterpillars, it is 
not a difficult one. The difficulty is to get a frisky 
caterpillar to keep still while one is putting on his 
christening robe . And then it is a problem to keep 
it on after one does get it on. I do have much 
troubles with caterpillars crawling out of their 
christening robes after I do get them on. 

Before I did get five caterpillars into their chris- 
tening robes I did hear the mamma calling. She 
did have needs of me. I ran a quick run to the 
house. When I did walk in the door, I did hold up 
my dress. Now the mamma makes me raise up my 
dress when I came into the house so she can get a 
good look at my underskirt all around. She does it 
to see if I have any animals about me in the pockets 



THE STORY OF OPAL 239 

I pin on my underskirts. The mamma objects to 
my bringing animals into the house. In the days of 
now I am real careful not to be bringing in my 
friends in these pockets when the mamma is at 
home. This morning she did look satisfaction looks 
when she saw not an animal in the pockets I have 
pinned onto my underskirt. 

When I was walked in she did send me again to 
get wood. She did want the wood-box fiUedwith 
wood. Sometimes it takes an awful long time to 
fill the wood-box. The longest time is when I am 
in a hurry to go on exploration trips. While I did 
pile the wood in, I did whisper my feels about it 
all to Felix Mendelssohn, that was hiding up my 
sleeve. Then the mamma said if I was born her 
child, I would n't have had this longing to go on 
exploration trips. Then she did send me to pick 
elderberries. She did tell me to scoot up the tree 
in a hurry. I did so. When I was up in the tree, I 
did not hurry so to get the berries. I took looks 
about. I looked to the divides in the road and 
away to the blue hills. Then I sat on another limb 
and looked looks more near. I did watch the little 
pond. In the pond is a lily. The lily is a yellow 
lily and it floats upon the water. It does float upon 
the water like a little sky-star. Maybe it was a 
little one that did have longings to cuddle in among 
the raindrops that do come together In the pond. 
I wonder how it came to be. I would like to know. 

In the pasture by the pond I did see a mother 



240 THE STORY OF OPAL 

sheep. I think It must be nice to be a sheep — to 
be a mother sheep and have a Kttle lamb. Children 
are such a blessing. When I did have my pail half 
full of berries, I did stop to pick out names for the 
twins I am going to have when I grow up. I did 
pick out sixteen names and then, being as I could 
not make decides between them, I did have decides 
to pick out names for them some other day. And 
I did begin at once to get that pail all full of elder- 
berries. 

When that was come to pass, I set the pail on a 
little stump. Brave Horatius stayed to guard it, 
and I did go the way that leads to the hill-top. I 
did have longings to dance. Most every day I do 
dance. I dance with the leaves and the grass. I 
feel thrills from my toes to my curls. I feel like a 
bird sometimes. Then I spread my arms for wings. 
And I go my way from stump to stump and on 
adown the hill. Sometimes I am a demoiselle flit- 
ting near unto the water. Then I nod unto the 
willows and they nod unto me. They wave their 
arms and I wave mine. They wiggle their toes in 
the water a bit and I do so too. And every time we 
wiggle our toes we do drink into our souls the song 
of the brook — the glad song it is always singing. 
And the joy-song does sing on in our hearts. So did 
it to-day. And afterwards when I did go to get my 
pail of elderberries, they were gone. They were 
gone only a little way. Brave Horatius did have 
feelings those elderberries ought to be going to the 



THE STORY OF OPAL 241 

house we live in. So he did make starts with them. 
When I did catch up with him he did have the 
pail-handle in his mouth. He was going in a slow 
way. And only a few elderberries did spill out. I 
have thinks they did roll out when he took the 
bucket off the stump. 



CHAPTER XXXIII 

Of the Death of Lars Porsena of Clusinm, and of the Com- 
fort that Sadie McKibben can Give. 

The waters of the brook lap and lap. They come 
in little ripples over gray stones. They are rippling 
a song. It is a gentle song. It is a good-bye song to 
Lars Porsena of Clusium. The time now is when 
there is no Lars Porsena of Clusium. It was only 
on yesterday. It was near eventime, when the 
mamma was gone to the house of her mother. I 
was making a go across the corn field to see the 
tree-folks in the lane. Brave Horatius did follow 
after me. Lars Porsena of Clusium was going on a 
way ahead. His movements did look queer with 
his tail-feathers not growed out yet. He went on. 
He came a little way back to see if we were coming. 
Then he started on in a hurry way. I was watching 
him with joy feels in my heart. I was having thinks 
how nice it would be when he does get his new tail- 
feathers all growed out. 

Brave Horatius did give a queer bark, and he 
pulled the corner of my apron. I looked looks 
about. There the chore boy was in a corner of the 
corn field with a gun. He was pointing it out on 
the field. I haxl thinks he had not seeing of my dear 
Lars Porsena out there. I ran a quick run to keep 
him from pulling that thing on the gun that makes 



THE STORY OF OPAL 243 

the noise and pains. I hollered hollers at him about 
Lars Porsena of Clusium crossing the cornfield. 
When I was come to where the chore boy was, I did 
tell him he must not shoot that old gun — a ball in 
it might go as far as my dear Lars Porsena of 
Clusium. 

He just laughed a laugh, and he said — he did — 
that Lars Porsena was nothing but a crow. And 
then he pointed that gun right at my own dear 
Lars Porsena of Clusium. The noise was a big 
awful cal lamb of tea. I had feels I was killed dead 
when I saw him fall. I ran a quick run. When I 
was come to him, I found he was making little flut- 
terings. When I did go to pick him up, he was wet 
with much blood. I felt the shivers of his pains. I 
wrapped my apron around him so he would not 
have cold feels. There was much wetness upon 
my apron as I did go along. It was wetness of 
blood. The sky was more gray, and before I was 
come to the house we live in, the raindrops were 
coming down in a slow, sad way. I have thinks the 
sky was crying tears for the hurts of Lars Porsena 
of Clusium. And I was too. 

I had longs for the man that wears gray neckties 
and Is kind to mice to be come back again. He and 
other mill folks and Dear Love and her husband 
and Sadie McKibben and her husband are all 
away gone until to-morrow even-time. I had not 
knows what to do for Lars Porsena of Clusium. 
This was not like that time he lost his tall. I did 



244 THE STORY OF OPAL 

cuddle him up close in my arms, and I washed 
off some of the blood, but more and more came. 
And sleepy feels were upon him. I wrapped my 
apron more close around him, and I did sing songs 
to him about Ave Maria and "Sanctus, sanctus, 
sanctus, Dominus Deus," 

After the mamma was gone to bed and sleeps, I 
did take Lars Porsena of Clusium to bed with me. 
He was so sleepy. I cuddled him up in my arms 
and we both did go to sleep, for tired feels was upon 
us. When I had wake-ups early on this morning, 
my own dear Lars Porsena was very cold and he 
was very dead and stiffness was upon him. I did 
have queer feels in my throat and pain feels all up 
and down me. I so did want him alive again, to go 
explores. When the mamma was most awake, I 
climbed out the bedroom window with him in a 
quick way. I went on. I did go until I was come 
to the lane. And I did go on down our lane until I 
was come to the tall hr tree. Good King Edward L 
I lay Lars Porsena of Clusium near unto Good King 
Edward I, and I said a little prayer and I covered 
him over with moss. 

I now go to have his funeral at Dreux. Brave 
Horatius too does wait waits, and quiet is upon 
him. He has longs for Lars Porsena of Clusium to 
come perch on his back. And the winds are calling, 
and between the callings of the wind the willows 
do call down by the creek. They beckon and call 
to the soul of Lars Porsena of Clusium. 



THE STORY OF OPAL 245 

The clouds go slow across the sky. The water 
goes slow in the brook. No one seems to be In a 
hurry. Even the wind walks slow. I think she 
wears a silk robe to-day. I can hear its faint rustle. 
I think the wind is dreaming too. With the whis- 
pering leaves she sings a dream-song. This is a 
dream-day. I stopped in the dusty road and looked 
a long while at the sun. It was round and a bright 
shining. Then for a little time afterwards, every- 
where I looked I saw a tiny bright shining, and 
there was a queer feeling In my head. 

When I was come to the field, Savonarola did 
look like the flies were giving him some bothers. I 
took my apron and shooed some of them off. I 
could only reach a little way up. I have thinks it 
did help some. The chore boy did not come for 
some long time. While Savonarola waited his 
coming, I did give him some more fans with my 
apron. I had longings for the papa's newspaper. I 
had thinks I could make that go more far up than 
I could make my apron go. First I did stand on 
one side of Savonarola and shake my apron at the 
flies. Then I did stand on the other side of him. 
Those flies were most lazy. They did n't want to 
make moves at all. While I did make tries to make 
the flies make moves away, I did sing a song of 
fleurs of grandmere, oifraxinelle, romarin, anemone, 
narcisse, cornope, oleandre, iris, souci, eglantier, 
marguerite, aubepine, renoncule, immortelle, eclaire, 
anemone, myosotis, eglantier, lys, iris, eclaire, dau- 



246 THE STORY OF OPAL 

phinelle, ornithogale, romarin, lys, eglantier, anemone, 
narcisse, souci, to Savonarola. Then I went to get 
him a drink in my little bucket that I do hide 
by the willows. He had likes for that drink of cold 
water and some more. When that chore boy was 
most come I did give Savonarola good-bye pats on 
his velvet nose. 

Afterwards I did go goes down by Launette and 
on to Nonette where the willows grow. I did print 
a message on a leaf. It was for the soul of Lars 
Porsena of Clusium. I left it on a willow branch 
with a little prayer that his soul would have finding 
of it. 

Then I did make begins to get ready for Aphro- 
dite's foot-bath. She has needs for one most every 
day. And most days she does get it. I do fill seven 
Castoria bottles full of water. Then I put their 
corks in, and all of them that will go into the lard- 
pail I do so put In. Too, I have a little brush to 
brush her feet with while I do give them splash- 
water baths out of the Castoria bottles. Aphrodite 
has likes for foot-baths, and some days she does 
have likes for the shower-baths I do give to her out 
of the little flower-sprinkler. I give her back 
brushes and then some more showers from the 
flower-sprinkler. That flower-sprinkler I did write 
to the fairies for. I put the letter in the moss-box 
by the old log where I do put other letters for the 
fairies. The time it was not long until the fairies 
did leave this flower-sprinkler for it. I water the 



THE STORY OF OPAL 247 

wild flowers after warm days and I water the plants 
that do grow in the garden. I can almost hear the 
tomato-plants say, "We were waiting for you," 
every time I do give them sprinkles. And the 
cabbage-plants have likes for them, too. To-day, 
after I did give shower-baths to Aphrodite and 
Solomon Grundy and his sister Anthonya Mundy 
that has not got as much curl in her tail as has 
Solomon Grundy, then I did give shower-baths to 
some more folks. 

Afterwards I went to the cathedral to have 
service there, for this is the going-away day of 
Good King Edward I in 1307. Brave Horatius 
went with me and so did Minerva. She wore her 
cap with ruffles on it like the morning-cap of Jenny 
Strong. Menander Euripides Theocritus Thucydi- 
des walked by my side. And too Sir Francis Bacon 
went with us. His leg has well feels a long time 
now, but he walks not as other chickens walk. He 
has likes to go to cathedral service, and so has 
Thomas Chatterton Jupiter Zeus. 

To-day after I did sing, "Sanctus, sanctus, 
sanctus, Dominus Deus," then we all did go goes to 
the house of Sadie McKibben. When we was come 
near unto it, there was Sadie McKibben on the big 
gray rock under the old fir tree. Her hands made 
quick moves with needles — the kind that knit. She 
was knitting socks for the man that is her husband 
and does live at her house. I sat down on the 
ground beside her. She had on her blue gingham 



248 THE STORY OF OPAL 

apron with the cross stitches on it. I did make 
counts of thirty cross stitches on that apron to-day. 
Some day I will count them all. There were some 
grasses growing close to the gray rock, and their 
little fingers did touch the cross stitches on the blue 
gingham apron of Sadie McKibben. I have thinks 
they too would like to cuddle up to Sadie McKibben. 



CHAPTER XXXIV 

0/ the Fall of the Great Tree, and the Funeral of Aristotle. 

To-day was a long work-day. When afternoon- 
time was come, the mamma was worried because 
the cream was n't sour enough to churn, and she 
wanted to get it churned before supper-time. I 
wanted to help her. I feel so sorry for her when the 
worry lines come on her face. They make her look 
tired. While she was taking a nap by the baby on 
the bed, I tried to think how I could help her. 
By-and-by, after a time not very long, I thought of 
a way. I got a lemon and cut it in two with the 
butcher-knife. Then I took the lid off the big churn, 
I squeezed those lemons lots of times into the 
cream. Then, when they would n't leak any more 
juice out, I put the rinds in for a finishing touch, 
just like the mamma puts them into the lemonade 
after she has squeezed all the squeeze out. I feel 
better now. I know when the mamma awakes, joy 
will be hers when she sees the cream is sour enough 
to churn. 

But the feels the mamma did have when she had 
wake-ups — they was not joy feels; and the feels I 
now have are sore feels on the back part of me. 

While I did mind the baby, there was an odd 
sound like someone crying a great way off. The 
mamma says, "I wonder what it is." I know it is 



250 THE STORY OF OPAL 

the death-song of that gray fir tree they are falhng 
this afternoon. Sleeps is come upon the baby. The 
mamma says for me to get out of her way. I go now 
goes to the woods. 

I did. I went on to where its growing was. It 
reaches up and up — most away to the clouds. 
Days have been when I did sit by it to have thinks. 
And Thomas Chatterton Jupiter Zeus has gone 
goes there with me, and Brave Horatius has waited 
waits while I did say prayers by that great tree. 
And I have told it all the things I am going to do 
when I grow up. I have told it about the books I 
am going to write about wood-folks and them of the 
field, and about the twins I want when I grow up, 
and the eight other children. And always I have 
read to this great fir tree the letters I have wrote 
and put in the big log for the fairies to take to 
grandmere and grandpere. And night-times I have 
heard the little wind-song among its arms most 
near to the sky, and I have almost touched the big 
gray shadow with velvet fingers that stays close by 
it at night-time. 

And to-day there I did watch and I did hear its 
moans as the saw went through it. And I sat down 
on the ground. There was a queer feel in my 
throat and I could n't stand up. All the woods 
seemed a still sound except the pain-sound of the 
saw. It seemed like a little voice was calling from 
the cliffs. And then it was many voices. They were 
all little voices calling as one silver voice come 



THE STORY OF OPAL 251 

together. The saw — it did n't stop — it went on 
sawing. Then I did have thinks the silver voice was 
calHng to the soul of the big fir tree. The saw did 
stop. There was a stillness. There was a queer sad 
sound. The big tree did quiver. It did sway. It 
crashed to the earth. 

Yesterday was the day of the funeral of Aris- 
totle. He died of eating too many mosquitoes. 
Now I have not three pet bats. I only have two pet 
bats — Plato and Pliny. And they are like mice 
with angel wings. I have likes to watch Pliny 
scratch his head with his hind-foot, and he does use 
a part of his wonderful stretchy wing for a wash- 
cloth. I have lonesome feels about Aristotle being 
gone. I go now goes to the garden to get turnips 
for supper. 

I did. And I give to them washes in the brook. 
When I did take them in to put them on the cook- 
table, the mamma and the grandma was talking 
about the garden. The mamma did wonder where 
that third cabbage-head was gone. I did n't. I 
know. It is up the brook a ways dabbling its toes 
in the water. I dug it up this morning and put it 
there. To-night I shall plant it again in the garden. 
It will have had a glad day dabbling its toes in the 
brook. That does give one such a nice feel. 

I have been sitting on a high stump looking looks 
to where is the road. Now the sun shines yellow 
^nd many flowers bloom yellow along the road, 



252 THE STORY OF OPAL 

When I grow up, I 'm going to write a book about 
the folks that wear the sunshine color. I have 
printed some prints for its begins. 

When I was coming back from the stump, I saw 
a spider. I stopped to watch him. He walked on 
his web. There was a mosquito in the web. I 
thought I would take that mosquito to Pliny to eat. 
Before I could get to it, that spider ate that mos- 
quito up. I came a come as near unto the chene 
trees. I saw the black cat coming in a creep along. 
He was coming more near unto the little squirrel 
that had no seeing of his coming. I ran a more 
quick run. I hollered a little holler. The little 
squirrel did make a start to make a run. The cat 
did make a jump. I so did too. The cat did begin 
to make a quick run. I so did too. I fell over a little 
root. That helped some because, when I fell, I did 
catch the tail of that old black cat. I pulled it most 
hard. He did drop the little squirrel and made 
objects to my pulling his tail so. 

Then I did get the baby squirrel. It was most 
killed, but it was not killed dead. I did cuddle it up 
in my hands and we did go the way that does go to 
the hospital. I have metholatumed it and named 
it Geoifroi Chaucer, and I have told it about this 
being the day of the going-away of Innocent III 
in 1 216. Now I go goes to the cathedral to say 
thanks for his borning and all the good he did do, 
and to pray for the angels to bring a new baby to 
the mamma and the papa when comes Easter-time. 



CHAPTER XXXV 

How the Man of the Long Step that Whistles Most of the 
Time Takes an Interesting Walk. 

One of my tooths Is loose and a queer feel. This 
morning, after I did come back from prayers in the 
cathedral with Thomas Chatterton Jupiter Zeus, 
it was then I did have feels of that tooth. It was 
funny feels — its being loose. After I did eat some 
of my mush, I did go to the string-box and I pulled 
out a string. It was a white one. There was lots of 
white strings in that box, and a pink one and a 
green one. I put the white string back and I pulled 
out the green one. It was long — very long — feets 
long. I did tie one part of it around my tooth with 
carefuls. Then I did come a walk over to where 
the broom stands behind the back door. I did tie 
the other end of the long green string to the broom- 
handle. And I kept hold of the middle of the string 
in my hand so when the broom had falls it would 
n't give a bump to my tooth when it did pull it out. 
I went a walk off. The tooth did n't come out. 
The green string did just have a slip off the broom- 
handle. 

I carried the string in a careful way while I did 
go to bring in the wood and other morning works 
the mamma did want done when she went away 
to the grandma's house. When the works was done. 



254 THE STORY OF OPAL 

then I tied that string to the door-knob. I started 
to walk off. Then I came back a ways. I decided to 
wait a little while. I walked off again. I got most 
far enough to get it jerked out. Then I thought 
I 'd wait until after dinner. I took the string off my 
tooth, but I left it on the door-knob to remind me 
to do It after dinner. Now I go. 
■ And I went goes to the woods with Lucian 
Horace Ovid Virgil and Louis H, le Grand Conde. 
And there I met a glad surprise. To-day the fairies 
did bring more color pencils to the moss-box by the 
old log. I had finding of them in the afternoon of 
to-day. There was a blue one and a green one and 
a yellow one and a purple one, and more there was 
too. I looked looks at them, and I climbed up into 
the tree that is close by the old log. I climbed up 
to be more near the sky. There was songs in the 
tree-tops and I did make a stop way below to have 
listens. And I did look looks down on where is the 
moss-box and the fleurs I have planted near unto 
it and the ferns and the vines that do have growing 
over the old log. 

And while I did have watches of the plant-folks 
that dwell about the moss-box, and while I did have 
listens of the songs In the tree-tops, then it was 
the pensee girl with the far-away look in her eyes 
and the man of the long step that whistles most all 
of the time did come walking through the woods. 
It is often now they so come, and he does gather 
ferns for her and they have listens to what the 



THE STORY OF OPAL 255 

brook sings. To-day they did n't make a stop by 
the brook. They came right on and on. They so 
did until they was come right up to where the 
plant-folks dwell by the moss-box. 

First I did have thinks they was coming comes 
to leave a letter for the fairies. But they came and 
they stood there — they did not go goes away. 
Then I had knows they did n't even see the moss- 
box where I do leave the letters for the fairies. 
They did almost step on it. I had sees there was 
joy-lights in her eyes, and the looks he looked at 
her was like the looks the young husband of Dear 
Love does look at her when he is come home from 
work at even-time. And I did reach out my arms 
above them for blessings to come. 

They had not knows of my reaching out my 
arms above them. Only God had knows. They did 
just have sees for one another. I have sure feels 
they did n't see that green caterpillar having sleeps 
under the green hazel leaf. He most stepped on the 
moss-box. I most hollered. My loose tooth was 
queer feels. He is a most strong man. He put his 
arms around the pensee girl and he most lifted her 
off the ground. I had fears he would drop her on 
the moss-box. I most did have losing of my bal- 
ance on the tree-arm. 

And I had sees of a chipmunk on a stump. He 
was very saucy and had nice stripes on his back. 
And he did sit up and talk chipmunk talk to an- 
other chipmunk. I had hears of him and sees of 



256 THE STORY OF OPAL 

him. But the man of the long step and the pensee 
girl did n't have sees of the chipmunk. He did take 
out a ring of gold, and he did tell her that was his 
mother's wedding-ring; and the caterpillar that 
was asleep did have wake-ups, and he crawled a 
little more under the hazel leaf. And a butterfly 
went by — it was a cream one with a nice ribbon 
at its wing-edge and pinkish spots, I had thinks 
about how nice it would be to be a butterfly and 
come out of a little egg and be a caterpillar first 
and have a lot of legs instead of just two legs like I 
have got now. And I looked more looks at the fat 
green caterpillar. I have more like him in the 
nursery. 

He did kiss her again. Last year I had more 
green caterpillars like unto this one. And they did 
grow and change and they was very big brown 
moths with velvet wings and velvet feet. And he 
did say, *'I want to help you to have all the love 
joy in the world"; and I put more in my prayer — 
a baby soon. And the fat green caterpillar fell off 
the leaf away down on the ground, but he fell on 
some moss I have put about where is the moss-box. 
And after his arm did touch the hazel bush he did 
step over two steps. I breathed a big breathe of 
reliefs about the moss-box not having steps on. 
And he kissed her again. And the green caterpillar 
made begins to* crawl back up the hazel bush. And 
I felt a big amount of satisfaction feels that they 
was so happy. And I did whisper another prayer 



THE STORY OF OPAL 257 

for the angels to bring them a baby real soon, with 
pink fleurs on its baby brush and a pink bow on its 
cradle-quilt. 

And in the bushes there was a little bird and 
restless was upon him. The color of him was blue- 
gray, and there were streaks underneath and there 
was a bit of yellow on his throat and so on top of his 
head. He did move in a quick way. I so did, so I 
could see him more. As I did go along a-following 
him after, I did have sees of the tracks of the com- 
ings and goings of little wood-folks. And a way 
away was a soft-eyed faon. When it's with its 
mother, then it is a daine. There was whispers in 
the ferns and more songs in the tree-tops. And 
my tooth had some more queer feels, and I had 
remembers about the green string tied to the door- 
knob. 

I went a walk back. It was still there when I was 
come to the house we live in. Brave Horatius was 
by the steps. He did have watches of me while I 
did tie the other end of the long green string around 
my tooth. Then I went a quick walk to the other 
door by step-backs. I made a reach out for the 
green string. But it was n't. It was on the floor, 
and my tooth was. After I did throw it away, then 
I did do the green string up in a roll. I am going 
to keep it. 

I went goes to the garden to get the beets the 
mamma did want for supper. While I did get 
them, I did have seeing that the green dresses of the 



258 THE STORY OF OPAL 

turnip-folk are getting faded and old. I thought 
they might like to have new white dresses. I went 
again to the kitchen. I lifted the flour-sifter from 
the flour-drawer in the cook-table. I did go back 
to the garden. There I sifted flour on the turnip 
folks. It came down in sprinkles like snowflakes. 
That gave them the proper look. When the wind 
came along, they nodded appreciation and some of 
the flour slid off to the ground. And Brave Hora- 
tius and I went to prayers in the cathedral, and so 
went Thomas Chatterton Jupiter Zeus and Menan- 
der Euripides Theocritus Thucydides. And Ma- 
thilde Plantagenet did wait waits at the pasture- 
bars. 



CHAPTER XXXVI 

Of Taking-Egg Day, and the Remarkable Things that Befell 

thereon. 

To-day was taking-egg day. Taking-egg day 
comes mostly one time a week. It is the day the 
mamma does send me straight to take eggs to the 
folks here about and yonder. First she does send 
me to take them yonder, before she does send me to 
take them hereabout. This she does because she 
knows if she sends me first to take them to the 
folks that live hereabout, I do stay so long with the 
folks that live in the nursery and hospital that 
there is n't time enough left to take eggs unto the 
people that live yonder. 

As quick as I did eat my breakfast, the mamma 
did set out the lard-pail on the wash-bench with a 
dozen eggs in it. As quick as she did so, I put on 
my sun-bonnet. It is blue and has a ruffle on it. 
Sometimes I wear it on my head, but most times it 
hangs back over my shoulders. And often I carry 
it over my arm with things in it — earthworms for 
baby birds, bandages for the folks that get hurt, 
and mentholatum in quinine boxes. Then too on 
exploration trips my chums ride in it. Sometimes 
it's a mouse and sometimes it's a beetle. Very 
often it is toads and caterpillars — only they don't 
ride in the sun-bonnet at the same time, because I 



26o THE STORY OF OPAL 

have learned toads like to eat caterpillars for break- 
fast. Sometimes Thomas Chatterton Jupiter Zeus, 
that most dear velvety wood-rat, snuggles up in 
my sun-bonnet. He most fills it up. A sun-bonnet 
is a very useful garment. 

After I did tie my bonnet-strings under my chin 
in the proper way the mamma thinks they ought to 
be tied, I walked over to the wash-bench in hip- 
pity-hops to get that bucket of eggs. Before I took 
up the bucket, I did look long looks at those eggs. 
They were so plump and so white, and they did 
have so nice a feel. I think being a hen must be a 
very interesting life. How thrilling it must be to 
cackle after one lays an egg. And then it must be 
a big amount of satisfaction to have a large number 
of children hatch out at the same time and fol- 
low one about. I think I would like to be a hen in 
the daytime, but I would n't like to roost in the 
chicken-house at night. 

When the mamma saw me looking long looks at 
those eggs, she gave to me a shoulder-shake and 
told me to get a hurry on me and take those eggs 
straight to Mrs. Limberger yonder. That Mrs. 
Limberger is the quite plump wife of that quite big 
man that lives in a quite big house that is nice but 
is n't as nice as his lane. I thought I'd go straight 
to Mrs. Limberger's in along that lane from out 
along the field,; but first I did go by to get Felix 
Mendelssohn. 

When I got to where he was, it was very near 



THE STORY OF OPAL 261 

unto the altar of Good King Edward L And being 
as this was the day of his crowning in 1274, I 
thought I would just go a little farther, to see if 
the crown I planted in little plants there on the 
altar were growing in a nice way. They were. 
When I planted them there from the woods in 
spring days, I did hope they would burst into 
bloom on this his crowning day and make a crown 
of flowers on his altar. But the dear little things 
got in a hurry, and did bloom more than a month 
ago. But they were saying to-day beautiful things 
with their leaves. I heard them as I did kneel 
to pray to thank God for Good King Edward I. 

After I did pray quite a long time and Felix 
Mendelssohn got a little fidgety, I started on to 
take the eleven eggs that were left straight to Mrs. 
Limberger. The other egg I could not take be- 
cause when I did kneel to pray, in some way it did 
roll out of the bucket, and before I was through my 
prayers a little gray rock by my hand just rolled 
off the altar and met the egg. There are a lot of 
little gray rocks on the altar. It is mostly made up 
of little rocks and some big ones. While I was 
making that altar, the man that works at the mill 
and wears gray neckties and is kind to mice came 
along. And the big rocks that were too big he did 
lift and place on the altar there. And then he did 
help me to plant mosses in between some of the 
rocks. That made me happy. Men are such a bless- 
ing to have about. 



262 THE STORY OF OPAL 

To-day I did go from the altar to the field. Along 
the way I stopped to talk to the trees and to watch 
the birds and to get berries for the nursery. I put 
them in the bucket with the eggs. I most lost my 
bonnet climbing over the fence, and I did lose three 
more of those eggs and some of the berries for the 
nursery. I picked up the berries and put them back 
in the lard-pail, but the eggs I could not pick up. 
I did n't put my sun-bonnet back on my head 
again, but I did give the strings a little tie in front 
so it would n't come off. Very soon after I saw a 
little snake. He was crawling along. When I see 
snakes, I like to stop and watch them. The dresses 
they wear fit them tight. They can't fluff out their 
clothes like birds can, but snakes are quick people. 
They move in such a pretty way. Their eyes are 
bright and their tongues are slim. 

When that snake crawled away where I could n't 
see him any more, I walked over to talk to a flower. 
After we did have conversation for some time, I 
happened to think the mamma did say to hurry; 
so I said good-bye, and when I did, I put my nose 
to the flower to smell it. It had a pleasant odor. I 
went on. Pretty soon I felt something on my nose. 
I wiped it off. It was pollen from that flower. I 
put it on an egg in the lard-pail. That gave that 
egg a flowery look. I showed it to an ear of corn, 
and then, as I did go along, I stopped to take the 
clods away from the roots of some of the corn- 
plants so the toes of their roots could have some 



THE STORY OF OPAL 263 

fresh air. They quivered appreciations, and some 
did bow down most to the ground to thank me 
after I was done. 

I proceeded. The day was most warm. When I 
did cross the creek I looked down it and up it. 
There were fairy demoiselles near unto the water. 
Their wings did shimmer in the sunlight. All along 
its edges the willows were dabbling their toes. 
Some had waded in a little bit — about enough to 
get their ankles wet. I looked long looks at them. 
I knew just how they did feel inside while they were 
dabbling their toes in the water. It is such a nice 
feel to have. 

I started on. I looked back. I started on. I 
turned and came back a little ways — just to take 
a good-bye look. The willows waved their hands 
to me. They called to me, "Petite Frangoise, 
petite Frangoise." I hurried on with the eggs. I 
had got twice as far as I did get before. Then I 
started back to the creek. I ran all the way. When 
I arrived I took off my shoes. I hung my stock- 
ings on a willow branch. Then I sat on the edge 
of the bank and dabbled my toes. One drinks in 
so much inspiration while one is dabbling one's 
toes in a willow creek. And one does hear the talk- 
ings of plants that dwell near unto the water. 

While I was dabbling my toes, my legs did have 
longings to go in wading, but I went not in. Some- 
thing might have happened to what was left of 
that dozen eggs the mamma was sending straight 



264 THE STORY OF OPAL 

to Mrs. Limberger, and that was why I did not go. 
And I did not take FeHx Mendelssohn out of the 
pocket he was riding in, that he might dabble his 
toes. I took him not out, for he has no longings to 
dabble his toes in a brook. He has prefers to dabble 
his toes in cheese. Though I do feel most certain 
one does n't get near so much inspirations when one 
dabbles one's toes in cheese as one gets when one 
dabbles one's toes in waters that sing. After I did 
take in a goodly amount of inspirations, I drew my 
toes away from the water and let the sun dry my 
feet so I could put my stockings on. While I was 
lacing my shoes up, I looked looks around to see 
what was near about. A little way distant was a 
haystack. 

When I did have my shoes most laced up to the 
top, I gave the strings a tuck in and started on. I 
saw a bourdon. He was plump in body and he did 
give a plump buzz. I did halt to screwtineyes him 
and to listen to more of those plump buzzings of his. 
They were cool sounds. What ones I did hear were 
so. He was a bourdon in a hurry, and he went on 
in a quick way. And I went on in a slow way. The 
sun was so hot. It made me squint my eyes, so I 
put my bonnet on. That made things better. 
Pretty soon I met Elizabeth Barrett Browning. 
Then we went walking across the field. I took off 
my sun-bonnet and tied it on Elizabeth Barrett 
Browning so the sun would n't bother her eyes. 
And she did go her way and I did go mine. We 



THE STORY OF OPAL 265 

shall meet again at the pasture-bars when comes 
even-time. 

When I did say good-bye to Elizabeth Barrett 
Browning, I went the way that leads to this hay- 
stack. And here I have stopped. A haystack is 
such an interesting place. It's a nice place to ex- 
plore. I think so. Mice think so. Sometimes — 
quite often — when I am crawling back in a hay- 
stack, I do meet a mouse, which is very nice, for 
mice are nice folks to know. And now to-day, when 
I did crawl back away under the straw I did find 
something. What I did find made me feel grati- 
tudes from my curls to my toes. It was a nest full of 
eggs and nobody had used an egg from it. There 
are — there were just fifteen eggs under the hay. 
They are not near so white as are those eight eggs 
the mamma is sending straight to Mrs. Limberger, 
but they do have more smooth feels. Oh, such satin 
feels! They are so slick they came most slipping 
right out of my hands, but they did n't. 

Four and two I have took. I have put them here 
in the pail. I do know Mrs. Limberger does so like 
to have things with satin feels about her. I have 
heard her expressions so when I was taking eggs to 
her before. Now I think she will beam delights all 
over her plumpness when she does see the satin 
feel eggs in this pail. I have placed them on top so 
she will see them first of all. Too, I think her eyes 
will kink when she finds she has got a dozen eggs 
and two. I wonder what she will be doing with 



266 THE STORY OF OPAL 

those two extra eggs. Now I '11 just get a hurry on 
me and take them straight to her. And I will hide 
these printings of to-day in a little box here in the 
haystack until comes eventime. And I will come 
back again for them when I come to meet Eliza- 
beth Barrett Browning at the pasture-bars. 

I'm back again. I did go straight from this hay- 
stack with the two and dozen eggs to the door of 
the house of Mrs. Limberger. When I did get there 
she was talking with a woman. The woman was the 
beautiful Sadie McKIbben, and she wore upon her 
a new dress like the blossoms of avalon growing in 
the marshes, and there were freckles on it like the 
freckles on her face, and both were beautiful. Also 
did Mrs. Limberger wear a new dress. It was black 
and had a yellow stripe in it like unto one of those 
yellow stripes the garter-snake wears on his back. 

When I did walk soft upon the porch they were 
so busy talking they heard me not. I reached out 
the eggs. Yet they were so busy talking they saw 
them not. Then I did edge over to Sadie McKIbben. 
I gave her sleeve a little pull. She looked down at 
me and smiled. She went on talking. She gave each 
one of my curls a smooth-out while she talked on. 
When she did get most done with her part of the 
conversation, Mrs. Limberger did happen to see the 
eggs I was holding out to her. She reached and took 
them. I was glad, but my arm was the most glad 
part of me because it did have a tired feeling from 
holding the bucket out so long. 



THE STORY OF OPAL 267 

She did n't even notice those satin eggs on top. 
She did begin to talk about the many ribbons and 
the many ruffles the new woman wears that lives 
up the corduroy road. She talked on and on, and I 
did wait on for the lard-pail the eggs were in. And 
I did get fidgety, for she was n't holding the bucket 
straight by the middle of its loop as a bucket ought 
to be held. I had a little fear she would drop that 
bucket. That would make a dent in it. And 1 knew 
what a spanking I would get if I took that pail 
home with a dent in it. I did stick my finger in my 
mouth to keep from speaking to her about it. 

Just when I had feels how that spanking was 
going to feel, she did take a firm hold on the handle. 
But she did n't take it in the middle. That did 
make the bucket to tip. She went on talking. She 
took a big breath and two of those satin-feel eggs 
did roll out. They bounced. They broke. Mrs. 
Limberger kinked her nose quick. She put her new 
black dress to it. Sadie McKibben too did put her 
new dress to her nose in a quick way. And my 
apron so did I put to my nose. Now this I know 
for there I learned, an egg with a satin feel may feel 
proper, but inside it is not so, and if it gets a fall, 
it is only a queer odor that one does have longings 
to run away from. 

But Mrs. Limberger made me stay right there 
and carry water from the pump and scrub all the 
bad odors off her back porch. I think some of them 
odors was n't from the two eggs with satin feels. 



268 THE STORY OF OPAL 

When I confided my feelings about the matter to 
FeHx Mendelssohn, Mrs. LImberger did tell me to 
go on scrubbing. She said whatever smells might 
have been there you could n't get a whiff of, on 
account of the multiplications of smells that came 
from the two eggs. Sadie McKibben did help me 
to scrub. She did ask Mrs. Limberger not to men- 
tion the matter to the mamma. Also she said she 
was going by that way to-morrow and would bring 
the four eggs to make up the dozen. 

When I started home Sadie McKibben did give 
to me a good-bye kiss on each cheek. She knew 
how I do long for kisses, and how the mamma has 
n't time to give me any. When I walked by Mrs. 
Limberger I did look the other way. As I passed 
she gave me a pat, and when she did, Felix Men- 
delssohn squeaked. When she gave me the pat, it 
went through my dress onto the back of the head of 
Felix Mendelssohn in a pocket in my underskirt. 
And he being a mouse of a musical tendency does 
object to being patted on the back of the head. 
He prefers to have pats on his throat. And he 
won't let anybody give them but me. 

I went on in a hurry to home. The mamma came 
a little ways from the door to meet me. Behind her 
was a switch. I saw both ends sticking out. I did 
give my skirt a shake so Felix Mendelssohn would 
get out and away. It would be awful for him to 
get hurt by a whipping. It might hurt his soul. 
After the mamma did tend to me as usual, I put 



THE STORY OF OPAL 269 

some mentholatum on the places where the whip 
did hit most hard. Then I did go to take eggs to the 
folks that Uve hereabout. I went in a hurry. After 
that there were baby clothes to be washed and 
wood to be brought in. Then the mamma told me 
to go find my sun-bonnet and not to come back un- 
til I did find it. I went again to the altar of Good 
King Edward I to pray. Then I went to the nurs- 
ery and the hospital and came again here where I 
print. Now I do see Elizabeth Barrett Browning 
at the pasture-bars. And she has got my sun-bon- 
net on. I knew we would meet again at eventide at 
the pasture-bars, for often we do and often on hot 
days she wears my sun-bonnet until we meet again. 
It does so help to keep the sun from hurting her 
beautiful eyes. 



CHAPTER XXXVII 

Of the Strange Adventure in the Woods on the Going-Away 
Day of Saint Louis. 

Very early on the morning of to-day I did go 
unto the cathedral, for this is the going-away day 
of Saint Louis in 1270. I went there to sing a thank 
song for his goodness and to say prayers. I did sing 
the song of Saint Louis that Angel Father did teach 
me to sing. The little leaves on the bushes growing 
there under the grand trees — their little leaves did 
whisper little whispers. I have thinks those little 
whispers were thank songs for the goodness of 
Saint Louis. Sometimes I did hear little bird voices 
in between the singing of the songs. I have thinks 
they were singing the same thank song I did sing — 
only they were singing it in their way. And when I 
came again home, the brook was singing the same 
song. 

After other works was done at the house we live 
in on this morning, the mamma did have me to 
stand on a box on a chair and give to the windows 
some washes. Then she did have me to give the 
steps some scrubs. While I so did, I looked looks 
about. On the porch-end was a little spider. He 
made moves in -a little quick way. A guepe came 
near unto him. She made no stops. She came on to 
him. She did carry that spider away. 



THE STORY OF OPAL 271 

Pretty soon I did have those steps all clean — 
nice and clean. Then the mamma did have me to 
help her to take the children to the house of her 
mamma. She and they stayed there all day. I so 
did not do. When they were come to the door of 
the ranch-house, I did go goes in the way that goes 
to the pasture-bars. I so did go to tell the folks in 
the pasture what day it was. 

It was most warm when I was come to the far 
end of the pasture. The folks of the pasture were 
not out in the sun. They were in shade. Elizabeth 
Barrett Browning was under a big chene tree. She 
did look gentle looks at me. And I did put my 
arm around her neck and tell her all about whose 
day it was. Then I went on to tell the gentle Jersey 
cow. She was near some more chene trees. I went 
on. She followed after. She did come with me as 
far as the brook. I watched her take a long drink. 
The day — it was so warm. Elizabeth Barrett 
Browning did come for a drink. I had thinks of 
Aphrodite in the pig-pen. I looked looks about for 
the little bucket I do carry drinks of water in to 
my friends. I found it where I did hide it by the 
willow bush. Then I did go to take a drink of cold 
water to Aphrodite in the pig-pen. These warm 
days she does have longings for a drink of cold 
water. She did grunt grunts of appreciations. Then 
she did grunt another grunt. I have thinks that 
other grunt was to tell me not to have forgets to 
take a drink of cold water to Cassiopee. I so did. 



272 THE STORY OF OPAL 

Cassiopee is a pig that does belong to the man that 
our lane does belong to. 

After I did tell them all about it being the going- 
away day of Saint Louis, I did go my way to the 
garden. The golden rod did nod, "It is good that 
he is born." The tall sunflowers in the garden 
there did say, "It is his day, it is his day." I went 
adown the carrot-rows. They were all whispering 
soft whispers. I have thinks they were saying little 
thank prayers for the goodness of Saint Louis. The 
cabbage-plants were all smiling as I passed them by. 
I think they are right glad for the drink of water I 
gave each one of them last night. 

From the garden I did go to tell other folks. I 
did sing the little song of Saint Louis as I did go 
along. The sun, it was hot down on my head. I 
took two big maple leaves and they did some help 
to keep its warmness from my head. I went on. 
Once at the edge of the near woods I met with my 
dear Thomas Chatterton Jupiter Zeus. We went 
on together. I did carry him in one arm, and I did 
hold a maple leaf over him with the other hand. A 
long way we went, in about and out about, and 
many little folks we did tell about this day being 
the going-away day of Saint Louis. 

By-and-by, after it was a very long time, there 
was no sun. The warmness did have a different 
feel. There wefe gray clouds in the sky. Some were 
darkness. I did go in hurry steps. I went not from 
the road. I did go the way it went around the bend. 



THE STORY OF OPAL 273 

More dark clouds did roll across the sky. More 
grayness was over all. Thomas Chatterton Jupiter 
Zeus in my bonnet did make a move. I did almost 
drop him. I made a stop to wrap him more up in 
the sun-bonnet. Then I did hurry on. I climbed 
the lane gate. It was more quick to so do than to 
pull the plug out that swings the gate open. I 
went on. There was a great noise. Thomas Chat- 
terton Jupiter Zeus poked his nose out of the sun- 
bonnet. He cuddled up against me. The great 
noise came again. I whispered to him, "II tonne." 
We went on. In-between times there was fire in the 
sky. It made moves in a quick way. After it was 
the coming of the great noise. Every time I did 
whisper to Thomas Chatterton Jupiter Zeus, "II 
tonne." I so did, so he would not have thinks the 
great noise was something else. 

When we were come near the ending of the lane, 
there was some very big pats of rain. One fell on 
my nose, and it did roll off onto the back of 
Thomas Chatterton Jupiter Zeus. I cuddled him 
up more close as more loud noises did come. When 
we were at the ending of the lane, there was Brave 
Horatius waiting for us. I have thinks he had been 
on looks for us. His looks did look like he had. 

We went on together. We was just a-going to 
start down the path that does lead to our house 
when we did hear a calling. It was a mournful 
sound. I had thinks some little life was much hurt 
and did have needs of my help. I felt for the little 



274 THE STORY OF OPAL 

box of mentholatum in my pocket. It was there, 
and some bandages too. The sound came again. 
Somewhere in the near woods a voice was caUing. 
I followed it after. Once I did have thinks it came 
from a root. And then it was like it did come from 
a big tree. It was a pain-voice like someone calling 
someone to come. Then it was like a lost voice 
trying to find its way among the ferns. It was not 
a word-voice. It was just a voice without words. 

I did have wonders what voice it was. I followed 
after its queer callings. Brave Horatius followed 
after me. He would stop and look queer puzzle- 
looks at nowhere. We did go on. The voice sound 
came again. Then it was like a voice lost from the 
person it did belong to. It was a clear low cry, like 
a ripple of gray ribbon. We were more near to it. 
We followed it around a big tree. There it was 
come from the man on the stump, between that 
tree and the big tree that was beyond it. The man, 
he did throw back his head and the voice came out 
his throat and went to nowhere. It came again 
like little bits of queer green fire flame, and then 
it was low and again like a ripple of gray ribbon. 
As it was so he did turn his face about. It was the 
face of the husband of Sadie McKibben; but the 
look — the look in his eyes was a queer wild look 
that looked looks at nowhere. 



CHAPTER XXXVIII 

How Opal Makes Prepares to Move. How she Collects All 
the Necessary Things, Bids Good-bye to Dear Love, and 
Learns that her Prayer has been Answered. 

We are going to move to the mill town. For a 
whole week, every morning now after the morning 
works is done the mamma does have me to help her 
make prepares to move; and after I do be helps to 
the mamma, then I do work at making prepares 
for moving my belongings when we go goes to the 
mill town. 

I have made begins a week ago. I have been 
carrying my belongings to inside an old log a little 
way away from the house we do live in. Moving is 
a big amount of problem. But mostly now I do 
have my prepares done. I am going to take with 
me when we go goes to the mill just my necessary 
things — the mamma does say none but my neces- 
sary things can go. She said that was my blue 
calico apron and my gray calico apron and the 
clothes that goes under them and my two pair of 
stockings and the shoes I have on and my sun- 
bonnet and my slate and Cyr's Reader. 

But I have some more necessary things that the 
mamma has not knows of. There is my two books 
that Angel Mother and Angel Father did write in 
and I do study in every day, and the pictures of 



276 THE STORY OF OPAL 

mother and pere and the pictures of grandmere 
and grandpere and tante and tante and oncle, and 
all the others that I do love much every day; and 
to-day there was needs to give the dear picture of 
pere a wash in the brook because last time on yes- 
terday, when I did kiss him, a little piece of jam 
from my bread and butter got on his dear face that 
does look so like him. And after I did come from 
the brook I put them all away in a careful way in 
the box I do keep them In, and I said a little 
prayer. 

And I went to bring to the old log the willow 
whistle the shepherd did make for me when it was 
the borning time of the lambs, and the two flutes 
he did make of reeds. And now I do have most of 
my necessaries in the hollow log. There by it is the 
lily plant the soul of Peter Paul Rubens has loves 
for to be near. And I have planted it in a little 
flower-pot Sadie McKibben has given to me. And 
when we are moved moves to the mill town I will 
put the lily plant under the window of the room I 
do have sleeps in, so that what the soul of Peter 
Paul Rubens does love to be near will be near unto 
where I am. 

And in the hollow log there is the old logging 
boot of the husband of Dear Love, that he has 
given me to keep some of my rock collections in. 
And there is the bath-towel of Thomas Chatterton 
Jupiter Zeus that Dear Love has made for him. 
And there is the color pencils that the fairies did 



THE STORY OF OPAL 277 

bring to the moss-box. And there is many brown 
papers that Sadie McKibben has given me to print 
prints on. And there is the cushion Lola did make 
for Lucian Horace Ovid Virgil to sit on in my desk 
at school. And there is all the patches I do pin on 
my underskirt for my animal friends to ride in. 
And there is the track of Elizabeth Barrett Brown- 
ing that I did dig up in the lane. It has so much of 
poetry in it. And there is one of the gray neckties 
of the man that wears gray neckties and is kind to 
mice, that he did give to me for Brave Horatius to 
wear. And there is the bib of Elsie's baby that 
Elsie did give me for Menander Euripides Theoc- 
ritus Thucydides to wear when he was nursing the 
bottle. 

And there is seven of the tail-feathers of Lars 
Porsena that he did lose when he did lose his tail. 
And there is four old horse-shoes of William Shake- 
speare that the blacksmith did have allows for me 
to have when he was putting new shoes onto Wil- 
liam Shakespeare. And there is the thimble of 
Dear Love that she has given me to carry drinks of 
water to the folks in the hospital. And there is the 
little bell of Peter Paul Rubens that he did use to 
wear to service in the cathedral. And there is 
Elsie's baby's little old shoe that got worn out 
and she gave it to me for Nannerl Mozart to sleep 
in. And there is the lid of Sadie McKibben's coffee- 
pot that she did give me when it came oif. She 
always did sing over that lid when cooking-time 



278 THE STORY OF OPAL 

was come. And there is the traveling-case of 
Minerva that the pensee girl with the far-away 
look in her eyes did make for me to carry all the 
christening robes of Minerva's children in, and more 
pieces of white cloth and little ribbons the pensee 
girl did put into Minerva's traveling case for chris- 
tening-time come next year. And there is the 
egg-shells Ben Jonson and Sir Francis Bacon and 
Pius VII and Nicholas Boileau and Edmund Spen- 
ser and Oliver Goldsmith and John Fletcher and 
Francis Beaumont and Cardinal Richelieu and Sir 
Walter Raleigh and the rest of Minerva's children 
hatched out of. I have thinks there is needs for me 
to carry those egg-shells in my apron when we go 
moves to the mill town, so they will not have 
breaks. And there is the little gray shawl Sadie 
McKibben so made for Nannerl Mozart. 

And there is the little cap that Dear Love did 
make for my Louis II, le Grand Conde. It has got 
a feather in it. He did nibble the end off the feather, 
and he had mouse-wants to chew the tassel that 
she did put on the bag she did make for me to carry 
him in. And there is the ribbon bow off Elsie's 
garter she did give me for Felix Mendelssohn to 
wear. I have heard the women folks at the farm- 
house say this world would be a nice world if there 
were n't any mice in it. I think it would be a most 
lonesome place. And there is the big handker- 
chief of the man of the long step that whistles most 
all of the time that he did give to me for Brave 



THE STORY OF OPAL 279 

Horatius to wear around his neck. And there is 
Elsie's old lace collar that Elizabeth Barrett Brown- 
ing does wear to cathedral service. And there is 
one of the whiskers of Thomas Chatterton Jupiter 
Zeus that he did lose. 

And there is all the portraits of my friends on 
poker-chips. And there is the other white poker- 
chips that are waiting waits for pictures to be 
drawed on them. And there is the blue and the 
red poker-chips that is the breakfast and supper 
plates of the folks in the nursery and the hospital. 
And there is Minerva's white cap that she does 
wear to cathedral service with the ruffles on it like 
are on the morning cap of Jenny Strong. And there 
is the long green string I pulled my tooth with. 
And there is the split jacket of Padre Martini, that 
he did last wear before he was become a grown-up 
cigale. And there is the bottle of Menander Eurip- 
ides Theocritus Thucydides — the bottle that used 
to be a brandy bottle. And there is the skins of the 
caterpillars they did grow too big for when they 
were growing into papillons and phalenes. And 
there is the two tail-feathers of Agamemnon Mene- 
laus Dindon. And there is Solomon Grundy's 
christening robe. And there is the little fleur water- 
ing-pot the fairies did bring that I do give my 
friends shower-baths with. And there is the cocoon 
that Charlotte Bronte, the big velvet brown pha- 
lene, did hatch out of; and there is more cocoons 
that other phalenes did hatch out of. And there is 



280 THE STORY OF OPAL 

the ribbon bow Elsie has given me off her other 
garter for the pet squirrel Geoffroi Chaucer that 
the cat did hurt but is well again. And there is a 
whole new box of metholatum that Sadie McKibben 
has given me for the little folks I find with hurts in 
the mill town. And there is the four vaseline bottles 
that got empty after the young husband of Elsie 
did use all the vaseline in them to keep his pumpa- 
door smooth. I have uses for those vaseline bottles 
to keep food in for the folks of the nursery. 

These things I have now in the log. Others of 
my necessary things I will bring this eventime and 
on to-morrow and the next day and the day after 
that. 

Some of us go to the mill town, but not all of us 
so go. Dear Solomon Grundy is sold to a man that 
does live at one of the edges of the mill town. 
Aphrodite is going to stay stays here, and so 
is Mathilde Plantagenet and Elizabeth Barrett 
Browning and Anthonya Mundy and the gentle 
Jersey cow and Savonarola and Agamemnon Men- 
elaus Dindon; and Plato and Pliny are going to live 
on in the barn. Brave Horatius is going goes with 
Aidan of lona come from Lindisfarne, and too 
Menander Euripides Theocritus Thucydides is go- 
ing with the shepherd to the blue hills. 

Minerva is going to town with us, and so is Sir 
Francis Bacon-and Ben Jonson and Pius VII and 
Nicholas Boileau and Sir Walter Raleigh and all 
the rest of her dear children, and Clementine and 



THE STORY OF OPAL 281 

Napoleon and Andromeda. And by-and-by Thomas 
Chatterton Jupiter Zeus is coming comes to the 
mill town, and so Is Felix Mendelssohn and Louis 
II, le Grand Conde, and Nannerl Mozart and 
some of her children, and Lucian Horace Ovid 
Virgil and Geoffrol Chaucer and the caterpillar 
folks In the nursery. All are when I do have homes 
fixed for them about the house we are going to live 
In in the mill town. 

Until then Thomas Chatterton Jupiter Zeus Is 
going to stay with Dear Love and her husband, 
and, too. Dear Love does say Lucian Horace Ovid 
Virgil can live under her doorsteps until I do have a 
place fixed for him under the doorstep of the house 
we are going to live In in the mill town. And Sadie 
McKIbben is going to take care of Geoffrol Chaucer 
and bring him In to me at the house we are going to 
live In at the mill town. And the man that wears 
gray neckties and Is kind to mice Is going to take 
care of all my mouse friends in his bunk-house, and 
he Is going goes to feed the folks in the nursery and 
the hospital. 

And often It Is I am going to come comes back 
again here to cathedral service and talks with them 
I know, and to leave letters for the fairies In the 
moss-box. I have thinks about the mill town. 
Maybe in the fields over on the other side of the 
mill town — maybe there there will be etourneau 
and ortolan and draine and durbec and loriot and 
verdier and rossignol and pinson and pivoine. When 



282 THE STORY OF OPAL 

I am come to the mill town, I will go explores to 
see, and I will build altars for Saint Louis. Now I 
go to see Dear Love. 

When I was come near unto her little house, I 
had seeing of Dear Love. She was sitting on the 
steps by her door drying her hair in the sun. It did 
wave little ripples of light when the wind did go in a 
gentle way by. She let me have feels of its touches. 
And she did give me a kiss on each cheek and one 
on the nose when she lifted me onto her lap. And 
then Dear Love did tell me a secret. It's hers and 
her husband's secret that the angels did let them 
know ahead — they are going to have a baby soon. 

I felt a big amount of satisfaction. It is about 
time that prayer was answered. Some prayers you 
pray a little while and answers come. Some prayers 
you pray more times and answers don't come. I 
have not knows of why. But prayers for babies 
get answered soon — most always they do. The 
time is so long I have been praying prayers for Dear 
Love to have a baby soon. And now the angels 
have told her it's going to come in about five 
months. I have thinks that is quite a time long to 
wait waits. 

And Dear Love has showed me the clothes the 
angels did tell her to make ahead for its coming. 
And there is two little shirts and bands, and very 
long underskirts with feather stitches in them, and 
there's a little cream kimona with a blue ribbon 
bow on it. I looked looks at it a long time. And 



THE STORY OF OPAL 283 

Dear Love said she was going to make one just like 
it for Thomas Chatterton Jupiter Zeus. I am glad. 
And there was more little clothes, and while we was 
looking at them the husband of Dear Love did come 
in the door and he did look adores at Dear Love. 
It's just our secret — just Dear Love's and her 
husband's and mine. Nobody knows it but just us 
three, and Thomas Chatterton Jupiter Zeus and 
Brave Horatius and Edward I and lovely Queen 
Eleanor of Castile and Michael Angelo Sanzio 
Raphael and Aphrodite and Lucian Horace Ovid 
Virgil and Felix Mendelssohn and Plato and Pliny 
and Minerva and her chickens and Menander 
Euripides Theocritus Thucydides and Louis H, 
le Grand Conde, and the willows that grow by 
Nonette. 

Now Brave Horatius and me and Thomas Chat- 
terton Jupiter Zeus are going to prayers in the 
cathedral. The great pine tree is saying a poem, 
and there is a song in the tree-tops. 



POSTSCRIPT 

After this I lived in a great many other lumber 
camps, and there were new people and new animal 
friends and new nurseries and other cathedrals. I 
studied in the woods and wrote down what I saw 
and heard. In the spring of 191 8 I went from Ore- 
gon to Southern California, to do more research 
work in natural science, earning my way by teaching 
nature classes. In the winter of 1918 I published 
my first nature-book, paying for it by taking 
orders for it in advance. 

In the summer of 1919 I came East, hoping to be 
able to get another nature-book published. In my 
going to see publishers, I came to the editor of the 
Atlantic. While I was telling the editor about this 
book, he asked me if I never kept a diary, and this 
is the answer. 

After the seventh year and far on into other 
years I continued the diary ; but perhaps some other 
time the story of all these things will be pieced 
together and made into another book. 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



018 477 507 4 




